Who Had The Permit?

Reading about the horrific nonsense that happened in Charlottsville, VA this weekend, I'm struck by several questions.  First and foremost, who had the permit to hold a rally in a public park?

In every event I've ever seen in a public venue, a permit is required.  It puts the authorities on notice that something is going to happen, and requires the event organizers to do certain things.  But, that permit allows them to be there.  Peacefully.  Lawfully.

Reading the New York Times article from this morning, it appears that the white nationalists had the permit.  As execrable as their message might have been, it appears that they had the permit to hold the rally, and that's what free speech is all about.

Those other groups that showed up, did so unlawfully.  Or, at least I doubt that they had a permit. So, why were they there?  Simply to cause trouble?  From all appearances, that's what happened.

And, what city bureaucrat let two groups with competing messages show up in the same park at the same time?

As the white nationalists massed in the park, Ms. Caine-Conley and other members of the clergy locked arms in the street. Behind them were hundreds of protesters, including black-clad, helmet-wearing members of the far left known as antifa.

Sound like a recipe for disaster, doesn't it?  And, that's just exactly what happened.   In the final analysis, what happened is that the City let two hate groups converge at the same place in the same time.

Of course, now the police are being blamed.

It's interesting to note that almost everywhere Anrtifa shows up, there is violence.  Example, Seattle.  Fascism is facism wherever it rears its ugly head, and if you are trying to shut down free speech, you're a fascist.