Giant street party takes place of cancelled far-right rally in San Francisco

Tens of thousands took to the streets of San Francisco to dance and sing peace songs after a so-called “Freedom Rally” was cancelled amid fears of violence.

Hip-hop star MC Hammer entertained the crowds as anti-riot police watched from the sidelines – geared up for clashes between demonstrators and counter-protestors.

Organisers of the Freedom Rally had billed the event as a gathering to “spread a message of love” and had banned extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan.

But critics including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi described it as a “white supremacist” demonstration, while city leaders tried to block permits for the demonstration.

Main organiser Joey Gibson called off the rally just 24 hours before it was due to start in Crissy Field Beach.

He said: “It doesn’t seem safe, a lot of people’s lives are going to be in danger tomorrow,”

Police arrested him a day later for charging at officers amid trouble in a separate rally in Berkeley park, reports say, while demonstrating with his right-wing Patriot Prayer group.

Freedom Rally had been planned to occur a week after thousands of counter-protestors squared off against demonstrators who marched in a so-called Free Speech rally in Boston.

Police in San Francisco had prepared for trouble ahead of the planned protest there and had banned weapons – including guns, pepper spray and items such as selfie sticks. Police Chief Bill Scott warned: “Violence isn’t going to be tolerated.”

A Facebook page for Freedom Rally had warned right-wing radicals to steer clear of the planned demonstration.

“No extremists will be allowed in,” it read. “No Nazis, Communist, KKK, Antifa, white supremacists ... This is an opportunity for moderate Americans to come in with opposing views. We will not allow the extremists to tear apart this country.”

Mr Gibson gave a press conference on Facebook from a darkened room after he called off the event, complaining he and his co-organisers hadn’t been given a chance to stage their protest.

“Everywhere we go, the police, the city, they wanna shut it down,” he said.

Hundreds instead turned out in Crissy Field Beach, where the event was planned to take place, and dressed in red and pink and sang songs including John Lennon’s ‘Give Peace a Chance’.

Tens of thousands of other counter-protestors also took to the streets of San Francisco on Saturday and marched amid banners that read: “Fascist Scum Your Time is Done.”

MC Hammer also performed outside City Hall to entertain the counter-protestors. He later tweeted: “Love is Infectious!”. Shouts from a handful of protestors were drowned out by the crowds.

Meanwhile, tensions flared when protestors yesterday turned out in Berkeley park in California in a counter-protest against a planned far-right rally branded 'No Marxism in America', which was called off.

Images show counter-protestors charging at Mr Gibson and attacked him with pepper spray, images suggest.

Police wearing riot gear set off smoke bombs to thwart the black-clad counter-protesters’ efforts before the trouble eventually fizzled out.