ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Several prominent Rochester leaders are calling for an upcoming controversial political event to be canceled. It’s called the “Reawaken America Tour” and it’s causing concern in the community, specifically where it is scheduled to happen.

An online petition calling for the owner of the Main Street Armory, the venue determined will host the tour in August, is growing.

“We don’t want it here. We don’t want it in the City of Rochester. We don’t want it in the county of Monroe. We don’t want it in the State of New York,” said Monroe County Legislator Mercedes Vazquez Simmons.

Simmons represents the districts that encompass the Main Street Armory. While it is not listed on the venue’s website as an upcoming event, it is listed on host and tour founder Clay Clark’s site.

“I want to know if they’re going to cancel it. What their thoughts were when they got the initial request that this tour wanted to stop in Rochester, and honestly the fact that they already agreed to book it — even if they do cancel it — the damage has already been done,” said Antonia Wynter, a Rochester activist who works with several organizations, including the Criminal Justice Initiative.

The “Reawaken America” tour has taken place in several locations across the country this year. The one in Rochester (titled Episode #14 on the poster) lists several high profile supporters of former President Donald Trump, including General Michael Flynn, who was pardoned after his conviction for lying about connections to a Russian diplomat, and Roger Stone — convicted of obstructing a congressional investigation and later pardoned by Trump.

“The information that we’re receiving right, from the community, is the misinformation that’s going to happen. They’re concerned that this will lead to further bigotry within our country, violence, hate — so that’s what they’re concerned about. I’m equally concerned about that as well,” Simmons said.

Event organizer, founder, and host of the podcast The Thrivetime Show, Clay Clark, said this tour is a response to the annual World Economic Forum held in Davos.

“Essentially the World Economic Forum hosts their annual conference in Davos; it’s hosted by Klaus Schwab and his organization which was founded in 1971 and I wanted to expose what they are discussing at the World Economic Forum,” Clark said.

During the interview, Clark cites the book by Klaus Schwab called COVID-19: The Great Reset.

“Well, I think that I’m trying to save America from The Great Reset agenda and unfortunately a lot of politicians are being used to implement it – both Republicans and Democrats,” Clark said.

“Given the recent tragedy of the mass shooting in neighboring Buffalo, carried out in the name of White Supremacy, as well as the disturbing mass shooting in Texas, there is added caution in the community,” Legislator Simmons said.

She explained that the Main Street Armory is located in a predominately poor and black and brown neighborhood, and her constituents are concerned.

“I’ve received an influx of calls from community members about this tour — what it represents to them — and I’ll tell you there’s a sense of panic that’s happening in this community,” Simmons said.

When asked about the location selection, Clay Clark responded this way:

“I think we’ve had at multiple of our events, a majority of the pastors who happen to be black and brown — I’m not really qualified to comment on skin color…unless I was referring to pale males because I happen to be a very pale male, but I would just say we have a very diverse lineup of speakers that all chose to expose the truth about the Great Reset agenda and how people react to it, I can’t control.”

News 8 reached out via phone and email multiple times to the Main Street Armory for a comment about a response to this growing call to cancel the tour. They have yet to respond.

We will continue to follow this story as the August event approaches.

The Democratic Caucus of Monroe County and Monroe County Legislature President Sabrina Lamar released the following statements Wednesay: