White nationalists gathered to protest the removal of a statue depicting Confederate general Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia, Friday night. The protest only lasted about an hour because multiple brawls broke out, spurring the police to intervene and stop the demonstration.
After the city of Charlottesville decided earlier this year to remove the statue from Emancipation Park, formerly Lee Park, members of the Klu Klux Klan — a white nationalist group that has killed and intimidated countless black, Jewish, and Catholic Americans — led a protest on July 8. Late Friday night, a group of about 150 young, white nationalists followed up with another protest against the removal of the Lee statue.
Not sure if you can tell from this picture but probably 150 marchers. pic.twitter.com/hG0nWnCi3d
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
Protestors, who were overwhelmingly white and male, shouted “You will not replace us” and “White lives matter.”
Chanting "you will not replace us" pic.twitter.com/rxpJU0841V
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
Now gathering around statue of Thomas Jefferson. Chanting 'white lives matter!' pic.twitter.com/16cruXn5d8
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
They also chanted “blood and soil.”
#UniteTheRight march chants "Blood and soil" pic.twitter.com/cX4O11jc35
— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) August 12, 2017
More pic.twitter.com/MWtGLCrVrN
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
Shortly thereafter, fights broke out between white nationalist demonstrators and counter protesters, who shouted “Go home, Nazis” according to Joe Heim at The Washington Post.
Massive brawl breaks out, tiki torches thrown as #UniteTheRight reaches Jefferson monument in #Charlottesville. Chemicals dispersed pic.twitter.com/NsepwZC0Te
— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) August 12, 2017
Several eyewitnesses tweeted that white nationalists were hit with mace.
Alt right guy hit with chemicals #UniteTheRight #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/RVjRwAJ2zM
— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) August 12, 2017
A bunch of the marchers got hit by pepper spray. pic.twitter.com/3TtBS7rQc6
— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017
University of Virginia police declared it an “unlawful assembly” and ordered protestors to leave at about 10:30 p.m.
Unlawful assembly declared at @UVA pic.twitter.com/y3UvphNYH3
— Allison Wrabel (@craftypanda) August 12, 2017
Update: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Saturday morning after tensions between white nationalists and counter protestors escalated to violent clashes.
President Trump condemned the violence and hate in a series of tweets Saturday afternoon.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/896420822780444672
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/896431205549318144
A car plowed into a crowd of counter protestors, causing multiple injuries, WCVB reports.
horrifying video of a car that plowed through counter-protesters in charlottesville. Starts at 7:30 https://t.co/FnEnxVrs3c @Rebelutionary_Z
— Adrian Chen (@AdrianChen) August 12, 2017
