Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi wants the National Park Service to withdraw a permit for an alt-right rally at Crissy Field at Golden Gate National Recreation Area/NPS
Editor's note: This updates with statement from Golden Gate NRA acting General Superintendent Cicely Muldoon.
National Park Service officials, cognizant of concern over a "prayer First Amendment" event at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, are reviewing the situation and will decide in the coming week whether to let the event proceed.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi has asked the Park Service to withdraw a permit for the alt-right rally scheduled for August 26 at Crissy Field, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco.
“I am deeply alarmed by the hateful and dangerous nature of the event, its timing so soon after the horrors in Charlottesville, and the serious questions over whether the National Park Service is at all equipped to ensure public safety during a white supremacist rally," the Democrat said. "The NPS should reevaluate its decision and its capacity to protect the public during such a toxic rally.
"We must wonder, where is the decision to permit a white supremacist rally in a national park being made? At the National Park Service? In the Department of the Interior? Or under guidance from the White House?," she added.
Thursday evening Golden Gate's acting general superintendent, Cicely Muldoon, issued a statement acknowledging the concerns.
We have heard and take very seriously the concerns expressed by the public and elected officials regarding the proposed August 26 Patriot Prayer First Amendment event at Crissy Field. Our highest priority is to ensure public safety, while honoring our obligation to uphold one of our nation’s most cherished Constitutional rights, the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
We are guided by the Constitution, the law, longstanding court precedent, and National Park Service policy, which tells us we must be deliberative and not preemptive in our decisions related to First Amendment gatherings. Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the U.S. Park Police are closely coordinating with other federal, state and local agencies to ensure a robust plan is in place before we issue a final permit.
We want to thank everyone for expressing their heartfelt opinions and valid concerns. Anyone interested in expressing their opinion may do so by writing us at [email protected]. We are reviewing all comments, but we are not able to respond to everyone due to the large volume we are receiving.
We will make a final determination on the permit within the next seven business days based on the thorough public safety review. We will make a public announcement of our decision at that time.
The Park Service in the past has allowed rallies by the Ku Klux Klan at Gettsysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. Early last month such a rally brought several hundred armed militia members to Gettysburg to rally in support of the park's Confederate statues and symbols. No violence broke out, but one of the militia members shot himself in the leg.
Rep. Pelosi, though, didn't think it prudent to allow for such a rally at Crissy Field.
“Perhaps those making the decision did not know that Crissy Field is a place where families gather, where tourists visit, and the community comes together. Free speech does not grant the right to yell fire in a crowded theater, incite violence or endanger the public in any venue," she said.
Comments
It's not up to the NPS to "allow" free speech, the point is that they should never take speech content into consideration of permit issuing decisions. That is the essence of the 1st amendment.
Frankly, a protest in SF is not uncommon (they happen virtually every week), The police there are probably as good as any at crowd control
However, this is on federal land subject to NPS controls and not that of the City and County of San Francisco. The primary law enforcement there is US Park Police and NPS law enforcement rangers. I think San Francisco Police generally bow out of any policing on federal land unless it's requested or they witness a serious crime in progress. I'm not sure that SFPD would necessarily have a handle on the lay of the land there. That being said, I remember going to the Super Bowl City event in San Francisco, and the police were everywhere. That wasn't necessarily an event where they were thinking there might be a lot of confrontation, but they're always on alert anywhere that alcohol is served on the street. The SFPD security there included some officers on platforms. They were wearing tactical gear and carrying automatic weapons. It was kind of hilarious too as I saw a guy with a protest sign outside of the event. He might have even had a bullhorn. He was addressing the officers on the platforms carrying their weapons. He said that he served in the military and was commenting on what they were carrying (he thought it might have been a military-style M4).
I'm wondering if the USPP will consult with their DC counterparts on how they handle stuff - especially at the National Mall. They're certainly experts on handling protests and counterprotests.
I frankly don't know what exactly this is that's being planned. The organizer is certainly a right-winger or associates with many, but recent news seems to indicate that he's hardly a white supremacist (and he claims to be of Japanese ancestry). What he may do may do or say may not really be the primary issue, but that he attracts or brings a core group of supporters that includes armed "security" and white supremacists has been a serious issue.
If he plans on bringing the "3 Percenter" militia with him, they won't be able to carry their guns since this is California and not Oregon. I read an interview where he states that he plans on bringing some Oath Keepers people with him as security. The Presidio is completely within the city limits of San Francisco so it would be subject to California's laws on open carry in incorported or prohibited areas. California doesn't recognize out of state CCW permits. I've heard that quite a few members of Oath Keepers are law enforcement, but I question whether or not their employing agencies would approve of the use of the federal exception (for law enforcement to carry weapons) in this purpose. I would assume that the US Park Police and NPS LE rangers would know that and will take appropriate action should they be carrying firearms. As far as I know, the standard NPS policy that doesn't allow the carrying of weapons (outside of firearms) still applies.
I do understand the potential for this to devolve into chaos. I frankly wouldn't advocate for the NPS to stick to their principles that they will allow free speech (which also means they must issue free speech permits to the counter-protesters) and provide a robust law enforcement presence.
Tips for counter-demonstrators:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/opinion/how-to-make-fun-of-nazis.html
EC--
As a small factual note, you and president Trump are wrong in asserting that only the alt-right protestors had a permit in Charlottesville.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/08/16/president...
Note also that many activities, including the Friday night torch march on the UVA campus and the counter-protestor's presence in Emancipation Park, did not require permits.
Separate from that, I'm about where y_p_w and others are on this rally. I am in favor of a permit for weapons-free free speach activities at Crissy Field in GOGA, just as I would be for one on the National Mall. Beyond the firearms laws (CC with CA permit), I'd be more comfortable with a no bats, clubs, mace, pepper spray, etc., policy for the rally, although I'm not sure if such restrictions can be written into a special-use permit (needed for amplification, stages, etc. at that site). While not enforceable via searches upon entering, it would enable LE to quickly arrest anyone on any side wielding or threatening with them. Between the bay to the north and 101 to the south, and given the large grassy expanse (uncrowded for the anticipated 200 participants even with much larger numbers of counter-protestors), that's probably the best venue both for preventing clashes and in case things go sideways. Certainly better than Golden Gate Park surrounded by residential neighborhoods.
That said, Pelosi is a rather late-comer to concern about this rally & permit, certainly not the first to call on NPS to reconsider the permit in the aftermath of Charlottesville (or Seattle). San Francisco city government wants stronger assurances from NPS that there will be sufficient security & planning. I'm not sure where the funding for that comes from: I don't think that first amendment activity permits require payment for LE and other park personnel like other special use permits do, and I don't think that they should have to pay massive charges for rallies. But given park budgets, what does GOGA cut to cover these costs? The budget for the National Mall and for Park Police in DC have funding for such events, I don't think that GOGA does.
That's not a small factual note. For a supposed former junk bond researcher, ecbuck sure likes to take statements from authorities he agrees with at face value.
tomp2 - The United Right had a permit for Emancipation Park. The Facist permits were for two different parks.
And of course your supposition is wrong, not that there is anything wrong with junk bond researchers.
[added] And how ironic that you appear to be guilty of exactly what you are accusing me of - i.e
taking statements from authorities you agree with at face value.
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