An event for the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization which celebrates the confederacy, has been approved for a permit in Stone Mountain, Georgia, even though it was denied last year.

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the permit application was given the okay earlier this month at Stone Mountain Park. A man named Richard K. Straut, who is a representative for the Sons of Confederate Veterans and is also running for a seat in the Georgia state Senate, submitted the application. Straut is a retired law enforcement officer.

Last year, their 2021 application was denied due to “a clear and present danger to public health or safety.”  Stone Mountain Memorial Association CEO Bill Stephens wrote at the time, “With the volatile nature of events of the immediate past and ongoing today, there is a clear and present danger to members of the [Sons of Confederate Veterans], potential counter protesters, park employees and guests.”

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However, in an emailed statement to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Stephens now says, “As we continue to move back towards a new normal, we will begin to receive more requests for gatherings and parades from all quarters, and unless law enforcement intelligence issues us a warning of potential violence or a ‘clear and present danger,’ then we will err towards maintaining an open and welcoming environment.”

An activist told Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “This is yet another example of the Stone Mountain board prioritizing the glorification of the Confederacy over the desire of Georgia taxpayers to simply enjoy their public park.”

The group’s Confederate Memorial Day event is scheduled for April 30.