The permit applications for a second “Unite The Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, have been officially denied, NBC29 reports. The applications were filed by Jason Kessler, the white supremacist behind the first deadly event, and his associate Brian Lambers.
The first reason listed on the rejection notice mentions the violence of the first rally, citing the city could not fulfill the duties Kessler said would be necessary to ensure peace and order at the event.
The applicant requests that police keep “opposing sides” separate and that police “leave” a “clear path into event without threat of violence”, but city does not have the ability to determine or sort individuals according to what “side” they are on and no reasonable allocation of City funds or resources can guarantee that event participants will be free of any “threat of violence.”
The rejection notice also brings up concerns about who would be held responsible for the event if when things went awry. It appears that Kessler did not adequately show how or if he’s working to be held accountable.
...[T]he individual who signed the application has included no information documenting how he will exercise responsibility for the behavior of the participants in his event...or what plan there may be to allow the City to effectively hold the sponsor individually accountable, financially and otherwise, for the entire group’s adherence to City regulations.
Unfortunately, the fight is far from over. Kessler has previously stated that he expected the permit to be denied and is ready for a full-on legal battle. Earlier today, he tweeted that he still plans on holding the “rally” and called the people behind the decision “communists.”