All streets surrounding the downtown square in Gainesville will be closed to vehicular traffic Saturday morning because of a demonstration planned at the Confederate monument in the center of the square.
The street closures will begin at 7:00 and continue until 1:00, according to Nikki Perry, a spokeswoman for the City of Gainesville. "Police will be stationed at each corner of the square."
According to the Rally Event Application on file with the city, participants plan to gather at 11:30, begin the rally at 11:45, and finish by 1:00. "This is intended as basically the same type of rally at the confederate monument we did last year at the Gainesville square," according to the application. "Brief public rally, pass out literature, take photos. Should be gone by 1:00, expect it to be about the same type of thing as last year. Organization name is Socialist Organization of North Georgia (same org as last year but we have a new name now)." The application also states that organizers are expecting "10-30" supporters to be there.
Last year's demonstration was one of many held on Aug. 19 at Confederate monuments across the country, calling for the removal of the symbols from public properties.
During last year's demonstration, Erin Parks with the Northeast Georgia Democratic Socialists of America (now the Socialist Organization of North Georgia) tries to explain to Rick Little of Gainesville why she thinks the statue of Confederate soldier Old Joe should be removed from the center of the Gainesville Square. (AccessWDUN file photo)
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/8/703836/gainesville-street-around-square-will-be-closed-saturday-morning-for-demonstration-at-old-joe