Saturday, October 11, 1997

U.S. Park Police criticized for ending Promise Keepers rally on time

RELIGION NEWS SERVICE

The Christian Defense Coalition, an anti-abortion activist group, is demanding an explanation from the U.S. Park Police for putting what it called "an abrupt and harsh ending" to the Promise Keepers "Stand in the Gap" rally by not allowing it to extend 15 minutes beyond its 6 p.m. deadline.

The Oct. 4 assembly was one of the largest gatherings ever in the nation's capital.

Organizers of the event had planned a memorable end to the six-hour assembly complete with a pre-recorded video message from the Rev. Billy Graham, musical selections from a men's choir and a benediction. But a few minutes after 6 p.m., U.S. Park Police pulled the plug on the event.

"Everyone noticed the abrupt end of the rally," said the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, leader of the Washington-based CDC.

Mahoney made his criticisms in a letter to the U.S. Park Police.

Halting the event "reflected poorly on the Promise Keepers," Mahoney said.

U.S. Park Police spokesman Maj. James McLaughlin said that around 5:20 p.m. organizers of the rally informed the police they were running behind schedule.

"At that point we told them that they could have an additional 15 minutes, which would have taken them to 6:15 p.m.," McLaughlin recalled. But at 6 p.m., McLaughlin said organizers requested an additional 15 minutes. "We had to say no. We had to have a cut-off point. We've pulled the plug on other events.

"Our policy is that we usually grant a 15 minute grace period. We know that events do run over," said McLaughlin adding that police were also concerned about the crowd leaving the Mall grounds safely before it grew dark.

Just moments before the crowd was dismissed, organizers had announced the closing lineup of events, but did not offer participants an explanation for the abrupt ending of the program.

Mark DeMoss, a spokesman for Promise Keepers told Religion News Service, "We overran our permit. The park service didn't flex."