By George P. Hassett

A hip hop concert promoting unity, justice and peace was cancelled twice last week – once in Somerville and, after organizers had secured a new venue, once in Cambridge.

Centro Presente, a youth and immigrants rights group, had organized the concert as a way to unite black and Latino youth in the area, promote positive hip-hop and call attention to a new campaign supporting immigrant rights, said Wil Renderos a Centro Presente organizer. But that goal was thwarted by city officials who cancelled Friday’s event and then pressured Cambridge officials, who had agreed to host the event on short notice, to cancel again, he said.

“These events call into question the transparency with which Somerville city officials handled the process and demonstrate, at least to us, the little support we received and by extension our youth,” Centro Presente staff wrote in an open letter to Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and the city on Tuesday.

Renderos said on Monday, April 28, a Somerville police officer informed Centro Presente that they had not completed the necessary permitting process to hold an event at the Somerville High School auditorium.

“Conversations with the police lieutenant made it clear that the police department was not interested in helping us figure out a way to make the event safer, but rather wanted to make sure that we did not have the event altogether. When we asked about how to get the final two signatures to complete the permitting process, the lieutenant indicated that even if we had the permit, there was too much of a concern for safety given recent drive-by shootings in the area,” Centro Presente staff wrote in the open letter.

Last month a 15-year-old Malden boy was shot from a passing car on Sewall Street. Curtatone told The Somerville News, “those unfortunate events were in the back of our mind” when the city decided not to host the concert.

Centro Presente quickly found a new venue Рthe Area 4 Youth Center in Cambridge and secured police details, Renderos said. However, “someone from the Somerville Police Department had contacted the Cambridge Police Department and convinced them to cancel the event,” according to the letter.

And now the concert is off. ‚ÄúThe kids are really frustrated,‚Äù said Renderos. ‚ÄúThe city doesn’t do too many things fun for them and this was going to be a positive event they had helped organize.‚Äù

The show was slated to consist of musical, dance and spoken word performances, he said.

“Can you imagine letting kids down this way?” said Centro Presente Executive Director Elena Latona.

“This was a very positive event organized by kids who worked hard on it all semester.”

But according to city officials, they were not the ones who let the kids down. They say Centro Presentesimply did not have the permits to put on the show.

“Before we even get to expressing our concerns for the safety of the event, [Centro Presente] has to get a permit. The city never revoked or cancelled the concert, [Centro Presente] never completed the process,” said Curtatone. “It may sound like a technical point but it is a necessary part of organizing an event like this.”

Curtatone said only one of four necessary permits was completed and among the missing ones were safety clearances from the Fire Department and the Department of Public Works.

Superintendent of Schools Anthony Pierantozzi said “hip-hop type events” had created trouble in other parts of Massachusetts and safety was a concern because of the 12 to 18 age-range of the event and the lack of permits. He said he shared his concerns with Cambridge officials when he learned the concert had found a home there.

It is still unclear why the concert was cancelled in Cambridge after Centro Presente secured a police detail. Calls to Cambridge police were not immediately returned.

Pierantozzi said any awkwardness over denying a permit for a “concert for justice” was overcome by concerns for “the health and safety of our students. Nothing takes precedence over that.”

But Renderos said shutting down their concert will not decrease violence. ‚ÄúOur response to youth violence shouldn’t include closing off opportunities for young people to come together and have fun in a safe, positive way.‚Äù