State Park Stormfront meeting and protestors mostly quiet.

The news broke on Friday that a group of white supremacists planned a meeting in Crossville and once word got out with plans for protestors to attend the word spread like wildfire bringing unwanted notoriety to Crossville. 

The first problem came Friday night when word got out that the group planned a dinner and social event at a local Crossville restaurant.  As the word spread and people began to call the restaurant with complaints and bad reviews started showing up on their online presence, the restaurant decided to cancel the reservation of the group. 

Once the group was turned away, local police were called to the restaurant and no serious trouble was reported at that time.

Cars parked outside the CMSP recreation lodge Saturday

afternoon for the Stormfront meeting

On Saturday, the supremacist group reportedly tied to an organization called Stormfront planned a meeting at the Cumberland Mountain State Park and that brought a number of protestors who spent much of the day in the parking lot near the Park Recreation Lodge separated from the group meeting by some dozen or more law enforcement officers including park rangers, Crossville police, and sheriffs deputies.

A few of the park rangers separating the two groups.

Protestors at the Cumberland Mountain State Park were kept

away from the recreation lodge by rangers and law

enforcement.

Some of the protest signs

Protestors support each other.  A few were

singing "All we are saying is give peace a chance."

Late Saturday afternoon some 16 to 20 protestors remained at the park but appeared to be packing up at the time.  Reports said that the supremacist group had reservations at the state park restaurant for dinner.  The group does not have the state park recreation lodge reserved for Sunday but reports are the group planned a hike on Sunday. 

Cars from a number of states were spotted though many of the cars had been parked with their backs in so their license plates could not be seen. 

Crossville Police Department press release says they are ready for any problems this weekend

From Crossville Police Department:

Friday, September 29, 2017

On the morning of Friday, September 29th, 2017, the City of Crossville Police Department received information in reference to the possibility that members of a white nationalist, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi group could be meeting in the Crossville, TN area throughout the weekend.

Additionally, a militant political movement of autonomous, self-styled anti-fascist groups, could be arriving to protest such a meeting, though no protests have been scheduled that we have been made aware of.

The City of Crossville Police Department, working in conjunction with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Highway patrol have coordinated efforts to maintain the peaceful protection of rights for both of these groups and for those of the citizens and visitors of the City of Crossville should any violent protests arise.

We ask that those in attendance at any of the scheduled, or any unscheduled events maintain a peaceful and respectful decorum and, though all involved parties have a legal right to express their opinions and exercise their freedoms, our residents, visitors and law enforcement professionals needn’t suffer in the wake of any type of violence. Any legal, peaceful meetings and/or protests will be allowed only in public areas or in areas where specific permissions have been secured, from property owners/managers, by those organizing any said events and/or protests.

The City of Crossville Police Department will be vigilant in the protection of the public and the protection of the property and rights of all parties. If any violence is observed, we are asking that notifications be made to law enforcement as soon as possible, by dialing 911. At no time will public streets, sidewalks or property be allowed to be rendered impassable by any groups, for any reason. The safety and protection of the general public will continue to be our top priority.