Boston: A Boston rally to promote “free speech” was vastly outnumbered by as many as 40,000 mostly-peaceful counter protesters marching against white supremacy and Nazism. A few scuffles broke out in the event that was heavily patrolled and monitored by the Boston police. More than 30 people were arrested.

Other anti-racism demonstrations were carried out across the country.

The initial rally was organized weeks ago by the Boston Free Speech Coalition, considered to be far right wing, but which says it is not a white supremacist group. Organizers said they were appealing to “libertarians, conservatives, traditionalists, classical liberals, Trump supporters or anyone else who enjoys their right to free speech.”

Trying to get back on the right side of matters, President Trump tweeted, “I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!”

But he also said, “Looks like many anti-police agitators in Boston. Police are looking tough and smart! Thank you.”

The Boston police commissioner said 99 percent of the attendees were peaceful.

Afghanistan: The President tweeted that he came away from a big meeting at Camp David with new plans for the war in Afghanistan, but he gave no details.

“Important day spent at Camp David with our very talented Generals and military leaders. Many decisions made, including on Afghanistan.” Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Friday, “The president is studying and considering his options and will make an announcement to the American people, to our allies and partners, and to the world at the appropriate time.”

Miss Otis Regrets: President Trump and his wife Melania will skip the annual Kennedy Center Honors this year to allow the “artists to celebrate without any political distraction,” according to a White House statement. It’s traditional for the first couple to attend, but two of the five honorees said they would decline to attend the White House reception that goes with the event.

Television producer Norman Lear told NPR, “As an artist and a human being, I cannot celebrate this incredible honor … at a White House that has no interest in supporting the Arts and Humanities.”

Nation: A second Kissimmee, Fla. Police officer died of his injuries yesterday after a shooting in a drug-infested area Friday night. Investigators arrested and charged a 45-year-old man with murder.

The Obit Page: Comedian Dick Gregory, who got laughs out of the civil rights movement in the 1960s before turning his life to fasting and protest in the cause of social justice, has died at age 84.

He turned into a conspiracy nut, but when he was young he made audiences laugh with barbed jokes about segregation and racism.

“Segregation is not all bad,” he’d begin. “Have you ever heard of a collision where the people in the back of the bus got hurt?” He joked, “You know the definition of a Southern moderate? That’s a cat that’ll lynch you from a low tree.” His joke about lunch counter sit-ins: “I sat in at a lunch counter for nine months,” he said. “When they finally integrated, they didn’t have what I wanted.”

Snap, Crackle, Pop: With the big solar eclipse just one day away, the Kellogg’s cereal company has posted a helpful online video about how to make an eclipse-viewer out of one of its cereal boxes. With so many choices — Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Corn Pops — they don’t say which is healthiest for the job or whether it should be gluten-free.

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