Organizers of the midday event, billed as a “Free Speech Rally,” have publicly distanced themselves from the neo-Nazis, white supremacists and others who fomented violence in Charlottesville on 12 August. The permit issued for the rally on Boston Common came with severe restrictions, including a ban on backpacks, sticks and anything that could be used as a weapon. The Boston Free Speech Coalition, which organized the event, said it has nothing to do with white nationalism or racism and its group is not affiliated with the Charlottesville rally organizers in any way. “We are strictly about free speech,” the group said on its Facebook page. Dating to 1634, Boston Common is the nation’s oldest city park.

Source: The Guardian August 19, 2017 16:52 UTC