White nationalists return to Charlottesville, chant "Russia is our friend"
White supremacists became the subject of national scorn in the US after one woman was killed in violent clashes between right-wing supporters and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. Just two months after the incident, white nationalists returned to the same venue to hold another rally. The protest was organized by well-known far-right advocate Richard Spencer. Read more about it here.
Virginia: Far-right rally turns violent, 1 killed and 19 injured
On 13 August, a car rammed into a crowd opposing a far-right rally in Charlottesville, killing one person and leaving 19 injured. The attacker was identified to be James Alex Fields Jr, a 20-year old Kentucky native. The "Unite the Right" rally was conducted to protest against plans to remove the statue of General Robert Lee, a pro-slavery Confederate commander in the civil war.
Richard Spencer elaborates on white nationalists' agenda
Spencer, a prominent right-wing figure in the US and organizer of the rally said that "Charlottesville had become a symbol of suppression of free speech and destruction of historical monuments." Spencer's right-wing think tank allegedly advocates peaceful ethnic cleansing.
Charlottesville 2.0: What happened?
The rally was attended by a group of at least 40-50 people carrying torches. According to an attendee, the rally was held to address "white America's interests". Protesters were heard chanting "we will be back" and "you will not replace us" in videos posted by Spencer. The attendees could also be heard chanting "the south will rise again" and "Russia is our friend."
