MADISON, Wis. -- Pot and free rights advocate Ben Masel says he's not giving up his permit to protest at the Conference of Mayors in Madison in June.

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"I'm sure the mayor's office is wishing I'd never applied."

City officials want his permit back so it can parade mayors from the Capitol to Monona Terrace, News 3 reported.

Masel plans to hold a counter rally to the mayors conference on June 15, putting the Street Use Committee in the middle and left to decide who gets a permit.

Masel claims he applied first and should get the permit. The committee is reviewing both applications.

Masel has stood up for his beliefs before. He was arrested as the organizer of Weedstock in the spring of 2000, and this event could bring in national protesters, News 3 reported.

Madison police officials are reviewing security, but say it's too early to talk about plans.

"I'm sure the mayor's office is wishing I'd never applied -- but the staff team that created that makes those decisions was created in 1982 specifically to insulate those decisions from content-based political whims," Masel said.

Masel said he is expecting about 900 people.

A number of factors are looked at for permit applications, including who submits the application first.

The permit is expected to be awarded next month.