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A coalition of religious organizations issued a statement Thursday condemning a planned neo-Nazi rally on Saturday and urging their congregations to designate the day as the "Sabbath of Peace and Healing."

"As people of faith, we cannot stand idly when any group preaches a message of intolerance," the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee said in the statement.

Such rhetoric, it said, legitimizes hatred "and polarizes people who need to be allies in addressing today's economic, racial and political issues."

The statement is in response to Saturday's planned In Defense of White America Rally by the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement at 2 p.m. at West Allis City Hall. The rally was organized to protest recent incidents of black-on-white violence including one during this year's State Fair.

Several organizations, including Peace Action Wisconsin, Milwaukee Innercity Churches Allied for Hope, and an African-American youth group known as the L.U.V., or Let Us Vote, Brigade are planning counter demonstrations. The L.U.V. Brigade will gather at 9:30 a.m. at Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee before reconvening at West Allis City Hall, 7525 W. Greenfield Ave., at 12:30 p.m.. The MICAH/Peace Action rally begins at 1 p.m., also at City Hall.