One person is dead and 19 others are reported injured after a car slammed into a group of counter-protestors at the “Unite the Right” rally of white-nationalist groups in Downtown Charlottesville on Saturday.
Dan Miller witnessed the incident and told the New York Daily News that he believes it was intentional. “About 40 miles an hour, hit about 15-20 people, crashed into the two cars in front of it, and then backed up and sped away while cops were standing on the side of the road and didn’t do anything,” said Miller.
Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a State of Emergency earlier today according to an announcement on his Twitter page that reads, “Governor McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency to aid state response to violence at Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville.
President Teresa A. Sullivan sent out an email to the UVa. community announcing that the university was cancelling all scheduled events for the day due to public safety concerns. All athletic events for the weekend have also been cancelled.
Several politicians, including President Donald Trump and former Senator Tim Kaine have denounced the rally on Twitter.
“What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and innocent lives,” Donald Trump tweeted.
Senator Tim Kaine tweeted, “People who came to VA to spew hate & incite violence have no place here. We stand for inclusion and will not go backwards. Praying for peace.”
Saturday’s “Unite the Right” rally has been scheduled for weeks, but Friday night, hundreds of right-wing supremacists marched through UVa. grounds with torches chanting, “You will not replace us.” Fights broke out among the protestors and counter-protestors, and police arrived at the scene shortly after, declaring that it was an unlawful assembly. Several people were treated at the scene for minor injuries. According to police, one person was also arrested.
UVa.’s Larry Sabato took to Twitter last night to condemn the behavior of the right wing supremacists.”In my 47 years of association with UVA, this was the most nauseating thing I’ve ever seen. We need an exorcism on the lawn,” Sabato tweeted.
This is a developing story. Stay with WUVA News for more information.
