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KGW 7:36 PM. PDT May 29, 2017

Rally organizer Joey Gibson (in yellow hat) (Photo: courtesy Joey Gibson)

PORTLAND, Ore. -- After Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Monday that the city will not issue permits to alt-right groups for two planned June rallies in Portland, the organizer of one of the rallies said that move could make the event more dangerous.

Joey Gibson is organizing a rally on June 4 and has already received a permit for the event at Shrunk Plaza from the federal government, which controls the downtown park. A second rally is scheduled for June 10 but is not yet permitted.

Wheeler called for the federal government to cancel permits already issued to alt-right groups for the rallyon June 4, and asked organizers to cancel both June events.

During a press conference Monday, Wheeler said the rallies had no place in Portland, following the deaths of two men at the hands of Jeremy Christian, a self-proclaimed White Supremacist who has attended alt-right rallies in the past, including one organized by Gibson.

"Im reminded constantly that they have a first amendment right to speak," he said. "My pushback on that is hate speech is not protected under the U.S. Constitution."

Gibson, who runs the group Patriot Prayer, said he is a Libertarian and does not promote hate speech.

I promote freedom. I promote love and I promote bringing spirituality back into this country," he said.

Gibson said if the permit is revoked, the event could be more dangerous. He said he won't be able to kick people out if they're causing problems.

Christian was kicked out of a prior Patriot Prayer demonstration, Gibson said.

Jeremy Christian has nothing to do with us and nothing to do with our movement, he said.

Gibson said no matter what happens, people will be showing up for the June 4 rally. He said some are even flying in from out of town. He plans to meet with Mayor Wheeler on Tuesday.

The ACLU of Oregon said Wheeler's request is unconstitutional.

Despite the brutal nature of Christian's attack and the racist vitriol that precededit,ACLU of Oregondirector Mat dos Santos said that "government censorship is not the answer."

Our hearts are broken, but government censorship is not the answer. We must defend the constitution even when it is uncomfortable. https://t.co/7K33oLAbcZ

The ACLU of Oregon posted more on its Twitter page, saying "the government cannot revoke or deny a permit based on the viewpoint of the demonstrators. Period."

The organization said if there is evidence of an imminent threat, the government should address it "without restricting 1A rights of all."

If the government has concrete evidence of an imminent threat they can and should address it, without restricting 1A rights of all. https://t.co/jfxgJyvCpi

Portland GOP chair James Buchalhad a different take. Buchal told The Guardian that militia groups such as the ThreePercenters (some of whom were involved in the takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge last year) should be used as security at public events.

Wheeler called for the event cancelations via his Facebook page:

On Friday three men Rick Best, Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche, and Micah Fletcher stood up against bigotry and hatred. Two paid with their lives. A third was seriously injured.

Our community remains in shock and mourning. But we are also tremendously grateful to our heroes and their families for their selflessness and heroism. They will serve to inspire us to be the loving, courageous people we are meant to be.

As Mayor, I wanted to update you on a few developments:

1) I have reached out to all of the victims and their families, including the two women who were terrorized and subjected to such hatred and bigotry. I have offered my unconditional assistance and support, day or night.

2) I have confirmed that the City of Portland has NOT and will not issue any permits for the alt right events scheduled on June 4th or June 10th. The Federal government controls permitting for Shrunk Plaza, and it is my understanding that they have issued a permit for the event on June 4th.

3) I am calling on the federal government to IMMEDIATELY REVOKE the permit(s) they have issued for the June 4th event and to not issue a permit for June 10th. Our City is in mourning, our communitys anger is real, and the timing and subject of these events can only exacerbate an already difficult situation.

4) I am appealing to the organizers of the alt-right demonstrations to CANCEL the events they have scheduled on June 4th and June 10th. I urge them to ask their supporters to stay away from Portland. There is never a place for bigotry or hatred in our community, and especially not now.

5) I am calling on every elected leader in Oregon, every legal agency, every level of law enforcement to stand with me in preventing another tragedy.

6) When and if the time is right for them, I would like to work with the families to find an appropriate way to permanently remember their sacrifice and honor their courage. Their heroism is now part of the legacy of this great city and I want future generations to remember what happened here, and why, so that it might serve to both eradicate hatred and inspire future generations to stand up for the right values like Rick, Taliesin, and Micah did last week.

2017 KGW-TV

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Rally organizer: Revoking permit could make event more dangerous - kgw.com