Charlottesville rally organizer plans ‘white civil rights’ event in DC

The organizer of last year’s deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., received a permit on Wednesday to host a similar rally this year in Washington, D.C.

WJLA in Washington and other local outlets reported that the National Park Service granted a permit to Jason Kessler to hold a protest in on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12, the anniversary of the Virginia rally. The designated event space is Lafayette Park, near the White House.

{mosads}Kessler wrote in his application that he expects 400 people to attend the “white civil rights” rally. He also wrote that he expects members of “Antifa affiliated groups” to disrupt the event.

“This year we have a new purpose,” he said. “And that’s to talk about the civil rights abuse that happened in Charlottesville, Virginia last year.”

Kessler organized the August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, which was held in response to plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The event turned violent when protesters and counterprotesters clashed, leading to one woman’s death when a man linked with white nationalist groups allegedly drove a car into a crowd of counteprotesters.

President Trump drew overwhelming backlash after the rally when he said “both sides” were to blame for the violence.

Charlottesville denied Kessler permission to host another rally there this year, citing public safety concerns. Kessler has said he is suing the city over the matter. 

Kessler has also been barred from the University of Virginia campus after the school said multiple students reported Kessler had threatened them.

Prior to the Unite the Right rally, Kessler and other protesters marched through the University of Virginia campus chanting anti-Semitic remarks.