First Avenue To Donate All Profits To Planned Parenthood The Night Of Trump Rally
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – When President Donald Trump holds his "Keep America Great" rally at Target Center on Thursday, First Avenue says it'll donate all of the night's profits to Planned Parenthood.
The famous downtown Minneapolis club, which is just across the street from Target Center, says it will donate profits from First Avenue, its adjacent venue, 7th Street Entry, and restaurant, The Depot Tavern, to Planned Parenthood North Central States.
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The owners decided to keep the club open despite the expected protests and heightened security in the area. In a statement, First Avenue said that the policies of Trump's administration are in opposition to the club's core values.
"First Avenue believes in radical inclusivity; every person needs to be treated with dignity, respect, and professionalism," said First Avenue CEO Dayna Frank, adding that the venue has hosted events across the political spectrum in the past and encourages diversity of thought.
The president's visit to the City of Lakes has come with considerable controversy, from disputes over police attending in uniform to questions about who will pay for all the extra security.
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On Tuesday, Trump and Mayor Jacob Frey got into a Twitter spat over the security costs. The city tried to get the campaign to pay over half a million dollars upfront to cover the costs for extra officers, overtime and street closures. The president accused the mayor of trying to "price out free speech" and shut down the rally.
As of Wednesday, it looks like the city will foot the bill for security, although the mayor says he'll seek a reimbursement.
Playing the First Avenue Mainroom on Thursday will be the rock band the Oh Sees. At the 7th Street Entry, the reggae band the Ballyhoo! will perform. The "Keep America Great" rally is slated to start at 7 p.m.