On Friday night, hundreds of tiki-torch-wielding members of the neo-Nazi/white supremacist ‘Unite the Right’ group assembled and marched around the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, VA. Mirroring demonstrations earlier this year, those attending chanted slogans such as “You will not replace us” and “Blood and soil” protesting against the dismantling of a statue of Confederate Civil War General Robert E Lee. Southern cities like New Orleans have made the decision to dismantle monuments depicting the fallen Confederacy in a positive light, causing outrage in white nationalist groups across the country.
White Nationalists circled around the monument dedicated to Confederate Civil War General Robert E Lee.
White nationalists/neo-Nazis Seig Hail on Friday night.
Later on that night, counter-protesters made a ring around a nearby statue of Thomas Jefferson. In response, the mob of Unite the Right demonstrators marched over and completely surrounded the counter-protesters. Fights broke out, but were soon resolved. Counter-protesters claimed to have been threatened with being burned with lighter fluid and torches. Pepper spray was also used. Both Unite the Right members and counter-protesters were soon removed from the area by police. Counter-protesters also claimed police sat idle until the last moment.
The next day, Saturday August 12, a continuation of the events from the night before broke out. Neo-Nazis adorned with Nazi symbols, white nationalist secessionists, and the KKK attended the rally/protest, once again under the umbrella of Unite the Right. One notable attendee, former KKK leader ‘Imperial Wizard’ David Duke had this to say: “This represents a turning point for the people of this country. We are determined to take our country back, we are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. That’s what we believe in. That’s why we voted for Donald Trump. ‘Cuz he said he’s going to take our country back and that’s what we gotta do.”
Same as the night before, Unite the Right was met with counter-protesters holding signs with anti-fascist slogans in addition to ‘Solidarity’ and ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Police surrounded the white nationalist group, facing out to the counter-protesters.
Policeman facing away from white supremacist demonstrators.
This posture assumed by the police suggests they considered Unite the Right was more like to be attacked than to attack. However, this was to be a grave misjudgment. The two groups had been ousted from their original posts after police had claimed their presence as unlawful assembly. Counter-protesters continued to voice their opposition in the streets of Charlottesville.
James Alex Fields Jr (pictured to the left in the featured image at the top of the page) had driven all the way from Ohio to attend this rally, but his participation led to the death of 1 and left 19 injured. The 20-year-old with affiliations with Unite the Right, Vanguard America, and the Republican Party rammed his sports car into a group of counter-protesters. Many politicians, including the Mayor of Charlottesville and National Security Advisor McMaster have denounced the actions of Fields, some even appropriately calling it a terrorist attack. Fields has been convicted of 2nd degree murder.
Governor of Virginia McAuliffe proclaimed a state of emergency in the city, he had this to say about the terrorist and neo-Nazis: “…I have a message to all of the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you. You pretend that you’re patriots, but you are anything but a patriot… You will not succeed. There is no place for you here. There is no place for you in America.” He also thanked the police for their service, however many witnesses have claimed the police intervened very little. Trump denounced the events in general, failing to single out Unite the Right for their part in inciting the terrorist terrorist attack by Fields: “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. On many sides…”
