Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz organize protest after 3rd site cancels America First rally

Republican Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Gaetz of Florida staged an anti-censorship protest on Saturday after three sites in California called off their “America First” rally.

After the event was moved three times, the two lawmakers announced that they would instead hold a “peaceful protest for free speech” outside Riverside Town Hall on Saturday.

“Over the past week, I have seen the Communist left in California use threats of violence, intimidation and harassment to intimidate business owners and force them to cancel peaceful rallies of Americans,” he said. Greene said in a statement emailed to News week.

Riverside City spokesperson Phil Pitchford told local news officials were “aware of the announced event and are taking action to ensure the safety of everyone involved.”

The city of Riverside announced Friday that the scheduled event, scheduled for 6 p.m. local time, would not take place at the Riverside Convention Center after it was “widely condemned” by residents. Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson backed Raincross Hospitality Corp.’s decision, calling the gathering a “divisive”.

Gaetz quickly took to social media to urge participants to register at the rally’s new location in Anaheim. But Anaheim officials announced later today that the private venue also canceled the event, hours before the start time.

It was the third cancellation of the event in just over a week.

Greene and Gaetz first announced the gathering at the Pacific Hills Banquet & Event Center in Laguna Hills last week. After learning that Republicans were due to speak, Javad Mirtavoosi, the centre’s chief executive, withdrew from the event.

“We just want to stay away from it,” he said. “As soon as we found out who the speakers were, we immediately canceled it.”

Greene blamed the cancellation culture for their inability to secure a location.

“Millions of Americans have experienced it in the workplace and on social media, and I’ve experienced it firsthand not only in Congress but here in California, where the left uses tactics similar to those employed by tyrannical governments throughout history who want to completely silence their political opponents, ”she said.

Gaetz suggested they plan to file a complaint in response to the cancellations in a statement shared on Twitter.

“Woketopians are so scared of a dose of # AmericaFirst in California. The rally is still happening today!” he wrote. “These quotes are going to make great plays in the @RepMTG lawsuit and I will file them.”