White nationalist group broke KC, U-Haul rules. What about Missouri law?
Members of the white nationalist group Patriot Front, who marched and held a rally in downtown Kansas City Saturday, violated U-Haul policy and a city ordinance, but may not have broken any Missouri laws.
Members of the group were seen climbing into the enclosed cargo areas of multiple U-Hauls following the demonstration.
U-Haul said in a statement to The Star that the customers named on the rental contracts, not the Patriot Front as a group, are banned from renting with the company as transporting people in the cargo area breached the contract. The company indicated there is “no way to know” if individuals are renting on behalf of a group because contracts only state the name of individuals, not names of organizations.
“If an individual is in good standing with us, we will rent to them. If an individual commits illegal acts using our equipment, misuses our equipment, or violates their rental contract, we reserve the right to take away their rental privileges. That happened in this instance,” they said.
At a Tuesday Board of Police Commissioners meeting, Kansas City Patrol Bureau Deputy Chief Joseph Mabin said the Patriot Front also violated a Kansas City ordinance by riding in the back of the trucks. Mabin said authorities “were unaware of any other laws they may have violated.”
A spokesperson for the Kansas City Police Department confirmed that the group violated Kansas City’s unlawful riding ordinance, which prohibits individuals from riding on any portion of a vehicle “not designed or intended for the use of passengers.”
But while the action violated both Kansas City code and U-Haul policy, no Missouri laws were broken, authorities say.
Those under the age of 18 are only prohibited from riding in unenclosed truck beds, though there are a few exceptions. Missouri law does require children under 16, and those under 18 operating or riding in a truck, to be secured in “a vehicle safety belt or booster seat appropriate for that child.”
According to Lieutenant Eric Brown with the Missouri Highway Patrol, there was also no violation of a Missouri statute that requires individuals to “exercise the highest degree of care” when operating a motor vehicle. The statute says that “Every person operating a motor vehicle on the roads and highways of this state shall drive the vehicle in a careful and prudent manner.”
Brown said the “careful and prudent” aspect of the statute would not extend to transporting passengers in the cargo area of the vehicle because the wording of the law only applies to the actions taken by a driver while operating a vehicle, such as excessive speed.
“(The statute) more or less focuses on driving exhibited to other motorists,” Corporal Justin Howard with the highway patrol said.
