The Purple Vigilantes is a 1938 American Western film directed by George Sherman and starring Robert Livingston, Ray Corrigan, and Max Terhune.

After the outlaws are defeated, some of the men, posing as the vigilant group, go on a crime spree.

The Purple Vigilantes is the 12th entry in the Three Mesquiteers series of B-movies produced by Republic Pictures.

[1] The film was released in the United Kingdom as Purple Riders because at that time the word "vigilante" was unknown in Britain.

He cited The Purple Vigilantes as being "the series western most clearly inspired by the Klan", noting that the film was "treating its hooded terrorist organization as originally serving a legitimate purpose but corrupted over time.