RUTHERFORD, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A stop on a comedy tour organized by Gavin McInnes, the founder of the Proud Boys, was canceled on Thursday night after the mayor of Rutherford warned of potential violence.
The Rutherford show was a rebooking of a Queens show that was canceled after similar pushback of McInnes’ “Cognitive Dissidents” tour.
The Proud Boys are a fascist gang and hate group infamous for political violence and their alleged role in the Jan. 6 riots.
The group has been designated a terrorist organization by Canada and a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
In a statement to NJ.com, McInnes said the tour is not a Proud Boys event and “has nothing to do with white supremacy,” but his infamy as an extremist has led to problems with his tour.
A stop at Penn State was canceled after the SPLC denounced the event and students lobbied to keep him off campus.
“There is no world in which it is appropriate for a university to provide a platform for Gavin McInnes, who founded and continues to promote one of the largest and most destructive hate groups in the country,” wrote the SPLC in a statement regarding the Penn State event. “Hosting this event puts the safety and security of Penn State’s campus community at risk, particularly gay, transgender, nonbinary, Muslim, Black and immigrant students who already face discrimination and dehumanization because of their identity.”
Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato said in a statement that “online intelligence led the police department to believe that the event had potential for confrontation.”
McInnes rescheduled the show that was originally going to be held in Queens, and then in Rutherford, to Friday night in Ronkonkoma.
He withheld the exact location from non-ticket holders and only told attendees a few hours in advance of the show in an attempt to limit pressure on the venue to cancel.
McInnes told NJ.com he intends to sue Rutherford for the canceled show.
Related
Related
