NEWS BRIEF: Stone Mountain Park approves Confederate celebration

The Sons of Confederate Veterans will get to host a Memorial Day service at Stone Mountain Park this year after being granted a permit by the park’s board. The group was denied permission in 2021 because it “presented a clear and present danger to public health or safety,” officials said at the time. This year’s permit application was submitted by Richard K. Straut, a representative of the SCV and candidate for a seat in the Georgia Senate.

Activists are calling the decision “tone deaf” for a state entity that is supposed to be cutting its connections to the Confederacy. The Stone Mountain Action Coalition, a group that pushes for changes at the park, issued a statement that said in part: “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.” ajc.com