Stone Mountain Park shuts down ahead of rally planned to defend GA Confederate memorial
Stone Mountain Park is closing Saturday, ahead of a planned far-right rally in defense of the massive Confederate monument etched on the mountain’s face, which park officials and city leaders worry could turn violent, outlets report.
“Stone Mountain is the Mount Rushmore of the Confederacy, only bigger,” the Southern Poverty Law Center says of the contentious Georgia monument.
Along the side of Stone Mountain Park’s centerpiece are carved three of the Confederacy’s biggest names, Robert E. Lee, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, and Jefferson Davis, astride their horses, hats over their hearts.
As Confederate monuments continue to come down across the US — either by official decree, or through anger and elbow grease — there are eyes on Stone Mountain Park. The popular tourist destination is home to what some say is a shrine to the Confederacy.
The park is closing Saturday, the city of Stone Mountain announced, due to safety concerns.
“The City of Stone Mountain is anticipating and preparing for at least two (2) opposing groups of protesters,” a city release said. “While the city has little information on what to expect during this time, out of the abundance of caution we are asking the General Public to avoid the City of Stone Mountain.”
The city added that “local law enforcement … is managing the situation and has devised a plan for the protection of life and property.”
Far-right protesters, including white supremacists and anti-government militia members, have planned to gather outside Stone Mountain Park on Saturday, to stand in defense of the park’s hard-to-miss monument, WSB reported.
A Black militia group — called NFAC — marched on the park on July 4, well-armed and peacefully.
Upon learning about the NFAC march, far-right groups planned a demonstration of their own for Saturday, Aug. 15, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Though Stone Mountain city officials have expressed concern over the two sides coming face to face and the violence that could potentially ensue, NFAC already said on Wednesday they have no plans to attend.
“We are not — and have no intentions of — interfering with these folks’ right to protest. Their are exercising their constitutional rights just like we did,” Grand Master Jay, leader of the NFAC, told the AJC. “We’re not going to counter protest. We’re not protesters, we’re not demonstrators. We’re militia. “
Construction of the massive bas-relief monument began in 1915 and was completed in 1972, according to the SPLC. The mountain’s owner, Samuel Venable, was a member of the Ku Klux Klan and allowed the Klan to hold meetings on Stone Mountain. It did so for decades.
Stone Mountain Park officials said the park will reopen and resume normal activities on Sunday, outlets report.
