For those of you just tuning in, Charlottesville “was engulfed by violence on Saturday” after white nationalists and counterprotesters butted heads after officials made the decision to remove Confederate monuments across the Southern states.
According to the New York Times, the white nationalists “had long planned a demonstration” after the city made the decision to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee. However, the rally quickly got out of hand, prompting a state of emergency and the National Guard.
Col. Martin Kumer of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, confirmed that James Alex Fields Jr. (20) of Ohio has been “arrested and charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in a death.”
“After [the crash] it was pandemonium,” said Robert Armengol, who was on site with fellow students working on a podcast. “The car hit reverse and sped and everybody who was up on the street in my direction started running.”
The rally was promoted as “Unite the Right,” and was expected to be “one of the largest gatherings of white nationalists in recent times.” Neo-Nazis and KKK members joined the protesters, assumably emboldened by “the election of Donald J. Trump.”
David Duke, a former imperial wizard of the KKK, told reporters on Saturday that the rally would “fulfill the promises of Donald Trump.”
President Trump condemned the protests, and addressed “the terrible events happening in Charlottesville, Virginia” on Saturday afternoon. He also said there was “hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides.”
Others have criticized the president for not responding “strongly enough to racism.” Charlottesville mayor Mike Signer said he hopes the president “looks himself in the mirror and thinks very deeply about who he consorted with during his campaign.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke out against the attrosity, saying it “strike[s] at the heart of American law and justice. When such actions arise from bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.”
Three other people were arrested after the skirmishes began in Emancipation Park. Reports say the air was rife with pepper spray, and one white nationalist left the brawl with his head wrapped in gauze.
Police cleared the area before noon that same day. Within the hour, the violence had been formally condemned by both Democrats and Republicans, including House Speaker Paul Ryan.
