Officials and police in Gainesville say they're preparing for a white nationalist protest next month even though the University of Florida denied event space for a planned gathering there.
The Gainesville Sun reports that the city commission on Thursday voted to give Mayor Lauren Poe authority to sign an emergency declaration should the Sept. 12 event take place.
University of Florida President W. Kent Fuchs on Wednesday said the school had denied a request for event space from white nationalist Richard Spencer's group, National Policy Institute. He cited concerns of violence days after the events in Charlottesville, Virginia that left 1 dead.
The group is planning to file a legal challenge.
Gainesville Police Chief Tony Jones says the department is also making plans should the event go on.
