Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene had their America First rally canceled over the weekend by the City of Anaheim because the city didn’t want their ‘free speech’ to be heard.
Gaetz and Greene had been canceled at two other locations in Southern California and had relocated to the Anaheim Event Center for Saturday night.
The City of Anaheim first put out this tweet stating “As a city we respect free speech but also have a duty to call out speech that does not reflect our city and its values.”
ANAHEIM STATEMENT: planned relocation of America First rally to private venue in Anaheim#abc7eyewitness #NBCLA #KTLA #KCBS #fox11 pic.twitter.com/dDSv6TArf0
— City of Anaheim (@City_of_Anaheim) July 17, 2021
A couple of hours later the same city spokesman tweeted that the America First rally is canceled claiming ‘public safety concerns’. But in that very same statement announcing this, they once again included “As a city we respect free speech but also have a duty to call out speech that does not reflect our city and its values.”
MAJOR UPDATE: planned America First rally cancelled. See statement below.#abc7eyewitness #NBCLA #KTLA #KCBS #fox11 pic.twitter.com/RXGfbYeQjp
— City of Anaheim (@City_of_Anaheim) July 17, 2021
Clearly this is a first amendment and free speech issue. The city had Gaetz and Greene’s private event canceled because they disagree with them, which is appalling and a blatant violation of their first amendment rights.
When confronted by some on social media, the city of Anaheim claimed it was a public safety issue:
Please help us share accurate information. We uphold free speech every day in Anaheim. As a city, we enjoy the same right of free speech and can note when something doesn't align with our values. To be clear: public safety concerns are why this is not still on.
— City of Anaheim (@City_of_Anaheim) July 17, 2021
No, that is not what we are saying and ask you to help us share accurate information. As a city, we enjoy the same right of free speech as you or anyone, and we can note when something doesn't align with our values. To be clear: public safety concerns are why this is not still on
— City of Anaheim (@City_of_Anaheim) July 17, 2021
They claim they are just ‘noting’ when something doesn’t align with their values. No, they clearly had it canceled because of this.
The other venues mentioned above ahad also canceled Gaetz and Greene’s events for similar reasons:
BUSINESS INSIDER – The Republican lawmakers were in Southern California for their “America First” tour stop. The Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center, a hotel in Laguna Hills, California, was initially slated to host the event, but canceled a week before when they realized who the speakers were, saying they “just want to stay clear of that.”
The Riverside Convention Center was then tapped to host but canceled 24 hours before the event after receiving backlash from the community.
Communist California no longer allows free speech and each of these venues, including the city of Anaheim, should be sued for violating the Constitution:
Yeah, that's not how the First Amendment works. Anaheim should be sued into oblivion for this. https://t.co/zJbioK5y7r
— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) July 19, 2021