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Trio dead after violence linked to white nationalist protest in Virginia

Trio dead after violence linked to white nationalist protest in Virginia

Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. The nationalists were holding the rally to protest plans by the city of Charlottesville to liquidate a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Update | Five:00 p.m. Saturday

Three people died and about thirty five were injured in a day of violence that began with clashes at a white nationalist rally on Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., Gov. Terry McAuliffe said.

One of those killed was a 32-year-old female pedestrian who was hit by a car that plowed into marchers, authorities said. The masculine driver is in custody, and charges are pending, authorities said.

A brief time later, a police helicopter that was monitoring the protest crashed, killing two more. Virginia State Police said the crash is under investigation.

McAuliffe, speaking at a press conference, had a strong message for the white nationalist protesters: “Go home.”

He added, “You are not dreamed in this superb commonwealth. Shame on you. You pretend that you are patriots, but you are anything but a patriot.”

Virginia State Police posted on Facebook that the helicopter crash in Albemarle County, where Charlottesville is located, occurred at approximately five p.m. It is not clear whether those two fatalities were included in the three-person death toll for the day’s violence.

In movie posted to Twitter, a silver car with darkened windows can be seen speeding through the crowd and ramming another vehicle, sending people through the air. The car then goes into switch sides while marchers pursue it.

Police said the crash happened near the intersection of Fourth and Water streets.

Warning: The movie in the tweet below is graphic.

Movie of driving through crowd of protesters in #Charlottesville

Photos and movie demonstrate numerous people being treated for injuries, and police can be seen securing the scene of the wreck.

Folks said counter protesters were hit by a vehicle as they turned the corner. Medics are here. #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/qQAIRy7YSN

The crash involved three cars and, in addition to the fatality, at least nineteen people were injured, according to the AP.

President Trump makes statement

In a statement sandwiched inbetween announcing and signing legislation to expand a veterans health care program, the president said he condemned “in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides.”

“We have to respect each other, ideally we have to love each other,” he said.

State of emergency proclaimed

Virginia’s governor had earlier proclaimed a state of emergency involving violent clashes involving hundreds of protesters in Charlottesville.

The budge came during a white nationalist rally planned in the puny college town to protest plans to liquidate a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a city park. On Saturday morning, protesters and counterprotesters faced off, kicking, punching, hurling water bottles at and deploying chemical dumps against one another.

Approximately five hundred protesters were on-site, with more than dual the amount of counterprotesters, according to reporter Sandy Hausman of member station WVTF and Radio IQ. She said some injuries had been reported.

At least two people have been injured in violent clashes in #Charlottesville, VA ahead of a white nationalist rally https://t.co/dzg92WQnHM

Police used rip gas to disperse the crowd, before suggesting protesters the option of being arrested or moving to another larger location approximately one mile away, she told NPR’s Scott Simon on Weekend Edition on Saturday.

The declaration by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe was made in order to “aid state response to violence” at the rally in the city about one hundred twenty miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and home to the University of Virginia. The city’s manager also proclaimed a local emergency and police ordered people to disperse from the area around the statue, according to the AP.

The “Unite the Right” rally was expected to draw a lot of people from out of town. It goes after last month’s Ku Klux Klan rally, also in Charlottesville, that drew about fifty Klan members and about 1,000 counterprotesters.

Politicians react to Saturday morning’s clashes

After the violent outbursts, politicians tweeted their disdain at the events in Charlottesville. Trump called on Americans to “come together as one.”

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

House Speaker Paul Ryan called the views of the white nationalists “repugnant,” and called for Americans to unite against “this kind of vile bigotry.”

The views fueling the spectacle in Charlottesville are repugnant. Let it only serve to unite Americans against this kind of vile bigotry.

Very first lady Melania Trump called for people to “communicate (without) hate in our hearts.”

NHL team logo used during white nationalist protest

In an odd side story, many of the white nationalist marchers were seen holding signs featuring the logo of the Detroit Crimson Wings, a historic hockey franchise in the NHL.

An anti-immigrant group called the Detroit Right Wings features a similar logo. A Twitter account that seemed to represent the group tweeted earlier in the week about attending Saturday’s rally.

As pictures of marchers flaunting the logo began flooding social media, the team issued a swift statement in response.

“The Detroit Crimson Wings vehemently disagree with and are not associated in any way with the even taking place today in Charlottesville,” the team said. “We are exploring every possible legal activity as it pertains to the misuse of our logo in this disturbing demonstration.”

Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let’s communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence. #Charlottesville

NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly added in an email to the AP, “This specific use is particularly offensive because it runs counter to the inclusiveness that out league values and champions.”

Friday night protests become violent

— Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) August 12, 2017

The clashes began Friday night, when far-right protesters carrying torches descended on the university campus.

In a Facebook post about that march, Mayor Signer wrote, “I am beyond disgusted by this unsanctioned and despicable display of visual intimidation on a college campus.”

These are literally youthful UVA students age 17-23 standing up to a sea of white supremacists and neo-Nazis surrounding them #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/VEU3mU9d3o

In the days leading up to Saturday’s planned rally, there had been some back-and-forth about where it would be held.

The AP reported that a federal judge ordered Charlottesville to permit the rally to take place at its originally planned location downtown:

“U.S. District Judge Glen Conrad issued a preliminary injunction Friday in a lawsuit filed against Charlottesville by right-wing blogger Jason Kessler.

“The city announced earlier this week that the rally must be moved out of Emancipation Park to a larger one, citing safety reasons.

“Kessler sued, telling the switch was a free speech disturbance. The judge wrote that Kessler was likely to prevail and granted the injunction.”

“Late Friday night, several hundred torch-bearing boys and women marched on the main quadrangle of the University of Virginia’s grounds, shouting, ‘You will not substitute us,’ and ‘Jew will not substitute us.’ They walked around the Rotunda, the university’s signature building, and to a statue of Thomas Jefferson, where a group of counterprotesters were gathered, and a brawl ensued.”

University President Teresa Sullivan issued a statement after Friday night’s march.

“As President of the University of Virginia, I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the hateful behavior displayed by torch-bearing protestors that marched on our Grounds this evening. I strongly condemn the unprovoked attack on members of our community, including University personnel who were attempting to maintain order.

“Law enforcement resumes to investigate the incident, and it is my hope that any individuals responsible for criminal acts are held accountable. The violence displayed on Grounds is intolerable and is entirely inconsistent with the University’s values.”

City officials and police say they are ready for any violence. McAuliffe urged Virginians to stay away from the rally and placed the National Guard on standby. The guard released a statement telling it would “closely monitor the situation.”

Earlier this week, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro reported on Airbnb’s decision to make it stiffer for people attending the rally to find places to stay. The company canceled the accounts of people that it confirmed had used its platform to book lodging for the event. It says those people defy its community standards. Rally organizers say this should be grounds for a lawsuit.

Debate over the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville began when an African-American high school student began a petition more than a year ago to have it eliminated. Lee, who was born in Virginia, commanded Confederate compels in the Civil War from one thousand eight hundred sixty two until he surrendered in 1865.

This is a developing story. Some things that get reported by the media will later turn out to be wrong. We will concentrate on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.

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