Right-wing gathering in San Francisco canceled after crackdown

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There were some big white supremacist rallies planned in San Francisco this weekend, but one by one, the organizers canceled their plans blaming everyone, from counter protesters to the mayor to state park officials, who granted protest permits.

Right-wing group Patriot Prayer was going to hold its "Freedom Rally" at a state park. But the founder of the Portland, Oregon-based organization canceled the planned rally a day before claiming it was going to be too dangerous given all the counter protests that were planned.

Then the group's founder moved the rally to a park about six blocks away, but because there was no permit, police preemptively barricaded the park and blocked off access from all sides. So Patriot Prayer was prevented from gathering again.

Right-wing gathering in San Francisco is canceled after crackdown. /CGTN Photo

But several counter protests went on as planned throughout the city to drown out any potential hate groups and their messages of division and bigotry.

A big rally at San Francisco's City Hall looked more like a celebration as musicians took to the stage and street performers entertained the crowds.

There were plans on Sunday in Berkeley for an anti-Marxist rally, which was believed to be another right-wing gathering. That, too, has been canceled.

Police there will remain on high alert to make sure nothing like Charlottesville happens in the Bay Area.

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