The rally came three weeks after James Byrd, a black resident of the town, was dragged to death behind a pick-up truck in what appeared to be a racially motivated attack.

The BBC's Tom Carver reports on the march in Jasper

Three white men, who the police say are linked to the KKK, have been charged with the murder.

Although the KKK had said the purpose of the rally was to protest against the murder, BBC correspondent Tom Carver reports that racist slogans such as "to hell with the blacks" were heard.

KKK members were outnumbered by reporters

At one point police intervened to prevent violence between Klan members and activists of the Black Panthers group, who had carried unloaded shotguns at Mr Byrd's funeral. This time they were disarmed by police.

The Jasper local radio station has been appealing to blacks and whites alike to show their dislike for the Ku Klux Klan by not turning up to the rally. Our correspondent reports that KKK members were outnumbered by reporters.

The brutality of Mr Byrd's murder earlier this month shocked the United States. Mr Byrd, 49, who was physically handicapped, was hitching a lift home from a family party when he was apparently abducted by the people who gave him a lift.