Politics & Government
Restrictions Posted Online For Crissy Field Rally
The National Parks Service has issued a permit for the rally, but lists restrictions and road closures online.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — National Park Service officials announced today they have issued a permit for a right-wing rally Saturday at San Francisco's Crissy Field with heavy security measures including a ban on anything that could be used as a weapon.
The "Freedom Rally" organized by the group Patriot Prayer is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Crissy Field, part of the park service's Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Following a deadly white nationalist rally earlier this month in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a man drove a vehicle into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a woman and injuring many other people, San Francisco officials pushed for the National Park Service to rescind the permit.
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But GGNRA acting general superintendent Cicely Muldoon said in a statement today that the park service "cannot deny a permit to anyone planning to exercise their First Amendment rights based on their political
stance or beliefs."
Following intensive negotiations with San Francisco police, however, the event will have security measures in place including fencing, security screening and restrictions on a long list of items that could be used as weapons, ranging from guns and aerosol cans to drones and coolers, barbecue grills, tiki torches and even selfie sticks.
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A full restriction list, as well as information on road closures and other details about the park service's plans for the event, has been posted online.
San Francisco police Chief William Scott said the event and counter-demonstrations planned elsewhere in the city will be heavily policed.
No city police officers will be allowed to take this weekend off, Scott confirmed.
Despite the precautions, Mayor Ed Lee said he remains "deeply disappointed and opposed to the issuance of this permit."
"This doesn't calm my opposition one bit," Lee said. "I pray that nobody gets hurt on Friday or Saturday because these people with their hate-filled message are coming to our city to wreak havoc."
Patriot Prayer organizer Joey Gibson has rejected accusations that his pro-President Donald Trump group is a white supremacist organization, arguing that the event includes black, Latino and transgender speakers.
Gibson has said the event has a "message of love" and stated on the event's Facebook page that "no extremists will be allowed in. No Nazis, Communist, KKK, Antifa, white supremacist, I.E., or white nationalists. This
is an opportunity for moderate Americans to come in with opposing views."
In a Facebook video posted Tuesday afternoon, Gibson said that he was happy with the plans for security at the rally planned for Saturday.
"I'm extremely encouraged right now, I feel really good about the preparations that have been going on," he said. "This is going to be fun, this is going to be different, this is going to be a unique experience for
sure."
Along with the Patriot Prayer event, four other political events were approved this week on GGNRA land -- "People's Town Hall Candlelight Vigil" and "People's Town Hall Press Conference" at Crissy Field on Friday,
and "Better Angels San Francisco" and "Stop HATE human banner" at Ocean Beach on Saturday, according to the park service.
Lee and other city officials have encouraged opponents to not engage with members of the right-wing rally and to instead join peaceful gatherings at Civic Center scheduled for noon Friday and again at noon Saturday.
"Let us show this nation that San Francisco is a city of peace and unity," he said.
— Bay City News; Image via National Park Service
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