‘No to Marxism’ rally doesn’t receive a permit

BERKELEY » The city has denied a permit application for a rally against Marxism in Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park on Sunday, citing what appears to be largely technical reasons.

In a letter dated Wednesday to Amber Cummings, organizer of the “No to Marxism” event, Deputy City Manager Jovan Grogan said the permit application, dated Aug. 17, “is incomplete, (and) missing critical information” required by the Berkeley Municipal Code.

The rally has been widely reported as scheduled for 1 p. m. Sunday. Cummings’ application, according to Grogan’s letter, was for an estimated 300 attendees in the park from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Grogan’s letter said the application lacks photo identification of the applicants, and does not provide information on what part of the park Cummings’ group wants to use, nor does it describe arrangements for first aid or emergency medical services. The application also does not explain security arrangements, the letter said.

Moreover, the application is late because it needed to be submitted at least 10 business days before the event, Grogan said in the letter. Additionally, although Cummings signed a “Hold Harmless Agreement,” she added in handwriting that she disagreed with it, thus rendering it invalid, Grogan said.

Finally, an application by Cummings’ group to use amplified sound was late and incomplete, Grogan said.

Efforts to reach Cummings for comment on Thursday were not immediately successful.

Mayor Jesse Arreguin and other officials have urged people to stay away from Sunday’s announced “No to Marxism” event, which Arreguin characterized as a white supremacist rally.

Cummings this week called Arreguin’s characterization “an outright lie,” intended to incite violence against participants in what she said was supposed to be an anti-Marxist rally at which white nationalists are not welcome.

The denial of the permit application might not necessarily be a reliable indicator whether or not a rally will take place as previ- ously announced. “No permits were issued or sought” for an “alt-right” and pro-Trump “free speech” rally in Civic Center Park on April 15, Berkeley police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Frankel said earlier this month. At least 20 people were arrested and dozens of injuries were reported in connection with the April 15 rally. Police also recovered several cans of pepper spray, knives, dozens of sticks, skateboards, and other blunt objects.

“While Berkeley police have not yet shared their security plan, some tactics used in the past have included separating groups with a barrier, checking backpacks and confiscating items such as sticks and other things that could be used as weapons,” said Karina Ioffee, a spokeswoman for Arreguin. “So it’s likely that these may be used again.”

Ioffee said that “even though the organizers were denied a permit for a sanctioned rally, the city is assuming they are still coming and is taking the necessary precautions. … Anyone who engages in or threatens violence will be swiftly dealt with.”