BOSTON _ Thousands of counterprotesters descended on downtown Boston Saturday as far-right speakers held a rally claiming their First Amendment rights to assemble and express their views.
The rally was held a week after violent clashes in Charlottesville, Va., between far-right activists _ including white supremacists and neo-Nazis _ and counterprotesters. A woman was killed when a driver rammed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.
Boston police said they were taking extra precautions and implementing a tight security plan to prevent what happened in Charlottesville last weekend.
Officials announced the deployment of 500 police officers, extra security cameras and barriers separating the opposing rallies. The city also banned participants from carrying weapons, sticks or flagpoles _ which were used in the Virginia violence.
"I ask everyone to be peaceful today and respect our city. Love, not hate. We stand together against intolerance," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said in a Twitter post Saturday. Walsh urged people to stay away from the Boston Common, the nation's oldest park, where a group called "Boston Free Speech" is holding its rally.
On Friday, Walsh said that if confrontations get out of hand, police will quickly shut down the protesters on both sides.
"There will be zero tolerance for any violence," Police Chief William Evans said.
Among those expected to speak are Kyle Chapman, a San Francisco Bay Area resident who has developed an online following using the moniker "Based Stickman." Chapman, who carries a stick and shield during protests and wears a motorcycle helmet, was arrested after he clashed with protesters in Berkeley earlier this year.
Coinciding with the Boston rally is a counterprotest, called "Fight White Supremacy."
Demonstrations to show solidarity with the city of Charlottesville were planned for Saturday in cities across the country, including New Orleans and Dallas. Authorities in both cities said they will deploy extra officers to maintain security.
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(Haller is a special correspondent. Lee reported from Los Angeles.)
