CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A federal judge has ordered a Virginia city to allow a weekend rally of white nationalists and other extremists to take place at its originally planned location downtown.
U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad granted a preliminary injunction Friday in a lawsuit filed against Charlottesville by right-wing blogger Jason Kessler.
Kessler organized the Saturday rally to protest Charlottesville’s decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.
The city announced earlier this week that the rally must be moved out of Emancipation Park to a larger one, citing safety reasons. The rally and counter-protests are expected to draw thousands of people.
Kessler sued, saying the change was a free speech violation.
The city said in a statement that it would abide by the judge’s decision.
Spokesman for the rally participants:
“Thanks your honor!
We can’t deprive those people of their rights without exercising ours!”
And that statue will still be going down, but thanks for making sure everyone knows who under the white hoods.
The KKK guy seems nice. Great to know that rabid racism is still alive and threatening in the great, evolved state of Virginia. Yes, Virginia, there should be a “Sanity Clause”. Let us know when you get one.
Gross and disgusting.
I lived there many moons ago! Okay they can have their racist rally, but the statue is as good as gone! Suckers!