INBOX: According to internal emails, it appears the city of Salem is aware incidents like the Proud Boys-sponsored Riverfront Park 2A rally may become a "reoccurring" event this summer. Emails suggest there was no plan in place to address the incident or any upcoming ones.
For reference: thecentersquare.com/oregon/far-rig…
Another email acknowledges that the 2A rally was not permitted per the city's policy at the time.
"City of Salem parks are not “closed”. We have not closed any parks during COVID‐19 (not required). We simply are not issuing event permits right now."
"You should also know, in my communication today, there has been a consistent misconception that the City of Salem has issued an approved permit for this event. That is not the case."
In response to a concerned citizen's email concerning the 2A rally, Salem Mayor Chuck Bennett compared the Proud Boys working "security" to Hells Angels members doing the same at a rock concert.
Bennett wrote that remark was "not the best analogy."
For reference, dozens of Salem police, state police, and sheriff's deputies pushed out an anti-fascist rally at the state capitol in town weeks beforehand.
thecentersquare.com/oregon/oregon-…
According to Salem's website at the time, city permits were being accepted for park events starting May 1. The city does not intend to issue permits for such events before May 31.
City emails show this was indeed a typo as Salem City Council member Tom Anderson has said.
So! That's all for now. I'll tweet out more as I get it. Salem...at your service.
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