Leader of Sunday's rally in Berkeley asks people to stay away

BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- The local organizer of an "anti-Marxism" rally in Berkeley that had been scheduled for this Sunday is now asking that no one show up due to threats.

In a lengthy statement that's posted in full below, Amber Cummings said, "I do not want the risk of violence happening or anyone getting hurt. I will attend this event alone."

The mayor has advised people to stay away, but several counter protests are scheduled around Berkeley. As a precaution, the U.S. Post Office has taken out several blue mail collection boxes around the city. They will be put back on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the group behind a rally scheduled for Saturday in San Francisco said they were cancelling due to threats of violence. Instead, they planned on holding a news conference that day and attending the Berkeley rally the next.

Stay with ABC7 News for the latest details on this developing story.

Click here for a look back at stories and videos from recent protests.

April Cummings' full statement:

"To the press and to the people,

I am releasing this statement to inform the people that I am asking that no one come to my event "No to Marxism in America" Being held in Berkeley California at 1pm August 27th at MLK Park. In light of all the violent threats taking place and the past history of police being ordered to stand down at Prior Rallies in Berkeley this gives me grave concerns for the safety of the people attending my event. My event seems to have lost its meaning in the press and the intent seems to not be getting out there. My event is to speak out against the political violence happening to people who do not agree with Marxist ideology and I wanted to point out that people are being attacked In a ruthless violent manor by thugs like Antifa and BAMN.
This all needs to stop and we need the violence to come to an end. I have concerns that Antifa and BAMN will attack my people attending the event and in good conscience I cannot risk this happening. I am asking the people to not attend this event Sunday and I apologize for this. I just feel that terrorist groups like Antifa and BAMN are trying to incite riots and violence I will not let them succeed.

That being said I stress DO NOT ATTEND THIS RALLY PLEASE. This rally will take place, but it will be me alone attending, no one else please. The city of Berkeley will not allow us protective gear to protect ourselves from objects thrown at our people like and this is one if my many concerns. Past experience shows that Antifa has thrown rocks, m80 explosives, and many other dangerous items that could kill a person and without some protective gear that might happen and that concerns me. Antifa is people that do not care who they attack. They attack our veterans, our police, elderly, and they do not care who they attack and act like violent terrorists and I cannot and will not allow innocent people to be hurt or subjected to this violence. People come to rallies in these cities with the expectation they will be safe and the police will be allowed to do there jobs. In the past that has not been so and police were ordered to stand down.

That being said I will be attending the event alone. I stress I DO NOT WANT ANYONE COMING and if they do you will be turned away, I'm sorry for this but I want this event to happen peacefully and I do not want to risk anyone getting harmed by terrorists. I do not want the risk of violence happening or anyone getting hurt. I will attend this event alone and I stress please stop the violence. If In the event I am hurt or killed attending this rally. I ask you to please not retaliate on each other as result of my injuries. Let my life be the last one lost and hopefully we can wake up to the fact that we are one America and it is time we stop allowing the extreme people on the Alt Left and Alt right instigate us into more violence. Let Berkeley be the place where we decided to come together as Americans and talk and end all the violence and start healing as Americans.

Let the best ideas be heard and let that be the winners, lets stop worrying whos left or whos right. Let the best ideas be heard and lets start healing this nation. Again I stress If my life is lost , I am pleading that no one is to extract revenge on my behalf. If you want to honor my life lost , then start to come together and work with each other. This madness has to stop at some point, lets please end the violence and lets start talking on both sides and stop screaming at each other.

We may not agree with each other on everything. However we can find middle ground as Americans and work together to make this a better place for us all to live. I will be at Berkeley at 1pm and I expect to do this alone. Please do not attend this rally, I will stand alone in the park but I am not alone in spirit as I know the American people are with me and stand with me in healing this nation and it needs to start somewhere. I stand up for all the American people who want to heal this nation and stop the fighting. I stand for all of you and I wanna see both sides come together and this violent terrorism stopped. Thank you and please respect and honor my wishes. ,I will do this alone. Thank you"