Jason Kessler files for Permit to Hold Unite the Right Anniversary Rally
Posted: Updated: Nov 29, 2017 02:30 PMJason Kessler, the organizer of the Unite the Right rally, has applied for a permit to hold a 2-day anniversary rally in Charlottesville next August.
Kessler filed a city of Charlottesville special event application request asking for a permit to hold a 2-day rally in Emancipation Park on August 11 - August 12, 2018.
In the application, he describes the event as a "rally against government civil rights abuse and failure to follow security plans for political dissidents" and "we are opposing any changes to Lee (Emancipation) Park and memorializing the sacrifices made by political dissidents in Lee Park August 12th, 2017."
Three people died following the Unite the Right rally on August 12, 2017. Heather Heyer died after police say James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio drove a car into a crowd of pedestrians at the intersection of 4th and Water streets. Virginia State Police Lieutenant Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates died when a helicopter that was part of the public safety response to the rally crashed.
Miriam Dickler, the city of Charlottesville spokesperson, says that permit is being reviewed but did not offer any timeline for making a decision.
Charlottesville City Councilor Kristin Szakos says she is angry at Kessler’s decision. "Well I don't know what's wrong with someone who has an event in which three people are killed by the people they've invited. And they want to try it again? He's got a lot of nerve.”
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer issued the following statement: “On this development I believe public safety should be our paramount concern, with the benefit of the recommendations from the Heaphy report and upcoming advice from our counsel on how to reform our permitting for public events. I won’t have any other comment until I’ve been able to confer carefully with my colleagues, our staff, and counsel.”
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