Unite The Right Organizer Gets "White Civil Rights Rally" Approved For DC

Source: HBO

A year after white supremacists took to Charlottesville, Virginia, for the Unite The Right rally, a second one is poised to take place this year in Washington, D.C.

READ: Suspect In Charlottesville Car Attack Faces Life In Prison

The National Park Service has approved an initial request for a "white civil rights rally" on August 11 and 12, according to NPR. The request was done by Jason Kessler, the main organizer of the Unite The Right rally. In an application sent to the park service on May 8, Kessler described the purpose of the event as "Protesting civil rights abuse in Charlottesville Va / white civil rights rally." He also expects as many as 400 people to attend.

Although the park service has approved the request it has yet to issue a permit for the event. The park service is now "gathering information" to issue a permit, which will "specify the timing, boundaries, sound regulations and liability rules for the event," according to a separate report from the Los Angeles Times.

Kessler also applied to hold another rally in Charlottesville on August 12 but the request was denied by the city. Kessler is suing Charlottesville and said that if he wins in court he'll host rallies in both Charlottesville and D.C.

The Unite The Right rally that occurred last year resulted in violence, including the death of a counter-protester at the hands of a white nationalist. James Alex Fields Jr. drove his car into a group of counter-protesters during the event and killed Heather Heyer in the process.

Fields was charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of 20 years to life behind bars, as well as eight counts of "aggravated malicious wounding."

Source: NPR