City Council’s first meeting after the July 8 KKK rally had 57 people wanting to voice their concerns about police use of force and tear-gassing protesters. Legal organizations asked for investigations and multiple citizens wanted the permit for Jason Kessler’s August 12 Unite the Right revoked.
At times the July 17 meeting was like a civics lesson on basic constitutional rights. City Manager Maurice Jones disputed protesters’ contentions that city police protected the Klan and its hate speech. “We’re not defending this speech,” he said. “We’re defending their right to speak.”
