Madison, Wis. - Minneapolis-Based Nazi Group Granted Rally Permit

Madison, Wis. - A group that calls itself the largest Nazi party in the U.S. has been granted a permit to demonstrate at the state Capitol in August.

The rally will denounce illegal immigration and the U.S. "open borders policy," said organizer Jeff Schoep, the commander of the Minneapolis-based National Socialist Movement. The Madison gathering was expected to draw about 100 of the group's members from across the nation, he said.
Kris Johnson, the group's Wisconsin leader said. "People that come to our rallies and listen to what we have to say are going to be pleasantly surprised at how much they agree with," said Johnson, who lives in Green Bay.

State officials granted the permit because the Capitol is a public building, said Sean Dilweg, executive assistant at the state Department of Administration. The state's challenge is to balance free-speech rights with the need to keep the public safe, he said.
Schoep and Johnson said they expect the rallies will remain peaceful and that they'd cooperate with law enforcement officials to ensure the event doesn't cause a disturbance.

Paula Simon, executive director of the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations, said her group wouldn't protest at the event because the group's members "have the absolute right" to speak their minds.