Stone Mountain Park’s state-appointed authority is allowing the property, which features the world’s largest Confederate memorial, to conduct its 19th annual Confederate Memorial Day Service tomorrow despite threats of disruption from the violence-prone Antifa and other left-wing and anarchist groups.
The sponsor of the memorial service is the Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), which says in a statement “we haven’t gone anywhere and let’s make this the largest turnout we’ve ever had.”
The morning service in the memorial plaza is to be held in front of the mountain’s Confederate carving, and a cannon and honor guard salute is scheduled after SCV spokesman and Marietta attorney Martin K. O’Toole gives a keynote address.
While the SCV stresses it is a solemn and peaceful event to honor Georgia’s Confederate fallen from the Civil War (who are recognized by the federal government as veterans), the radicals have demanded that the Stone Mountain Memorial Association to cancel the event. One such voice is the Southern Poverty Law Center. It issued a statement that “this year’s event serves as a direct insult to the city’s majority black community, Georgians, tourists, and local activists like the Stone Mountain Action Coalition that have worked for years to ensure these arrogant displays of white privilege are no longer allowed at Stone Mountain.”
The park, located in DeKalb County, has been closed to events for about two years because of COVID restrictions. However, in August 2020, the park entrance was the scene of verbal and physical assaults as white Marxists and black radicals clashed with right-wing demonstrators. State troopers and Georgia National Guardsmen eventually arrived to break it up.
Park overseers learned a lesson that day, and InsiderAdvantage has learned that park security, including the State Patrol standing by, will be beefed up for the event. The plan is to keep the radicals separated from the service and its participants. And the Memorial Association has said the event participants have a “free speech right” to conduct their service.
