One year after a group of white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia for a “Unite The Right” rally that ended in the death of a counter protestor, organizers have been given permission to hold a second rally in Washington D.C.
According to new reports, Jason Kessler’s application to hold a “white civil rights rally” on August 11th and 12th along with other organizers that include white supremacist Richard Spencer has been approved.
Last year’s rally drew hundred of white nationalists and supporters who were protesting the removal of the statue of Confederate commander Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park. They would be met by a group of counter protesters, resulting in violent clashes that ultimately ended when a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi drove his car into the crowd of anti-racist opposers and killed 32-year old Heather Heyer while injuring several others.
In this new application, Kessler alleges that as many as 400 attendees may be present at the demonstration with a purpose described as: “Protesting civil rights abuse."
According to the Los Angeles Times, the park service is gathering more information in order to issue a permit. Agency spokesman Mike Litterst says that the process will “ensure public safety and the protection of park resources are taken into consideration,” and added that the government does not “consider the content of the message presented” in issuing permissions.
Kessler and other organizers are eyeing Lafayette Square, which is north of the White House on the other side of Pennsylvania Avenue, as its location. Last year, President Donald Trump drew much criticism when he did not condemn the white supremacists and instead declared that there was fault on “all sides.”
