Hilbert singled out the police department’s purchase of the body cameras, calling it “a little expensive,” but stopped short of questioning whether it was necessary. Police said they did not have enough cameras to outfit the contingent of officers deployed for the protest.

Because it’s still early in the fiscal year, it’s unclear whether police spending for the event will require Stoney to ask the council to amend the city’s current budget and shift money to the department.

A few council members, Hilbert among them, said that they hope that doesn’t happen, and that the department can save money from vacancies to cover its rally spending.

Parker Agelasto, the 5th District councilman, said he doesn’t believe the city should have to come up with the money for the event because the pro-Confederate group from Tennessee that staged it did so without a permit.

“I don’t see why the city should be on the hook for 100 percent of the cost when the protesters were denied a permit,” Agelasto said.

Durham said he will look at ways to cut costs elsewhere in the department, which is also running up overtime hours for officers investigating an increased number of homicides in the city this year.