Good morning.

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Today’s introduction comes from Thomas Fuller, our San Francisco bureau chief.

Tensions were high in the days leading up to a pair of right wing rallies planned in the San Francisco Bay Area over the weekend.

Hundreds of law enforcement officers were placed on duty in hopes of avoiding a replay of the violence that unfolded this month in Charlottesville, Va.

But at the last moment, both events seemed uncertain — a “No to Marxism in America” rally in Berkeley was denied a permit by the city and a “Freedom Rally” in San Francisco was canceled by its organizer, who cited fears of violence.