Washington braces for a white nationalist rally that coincides with Charlottesville anniversary

Washington, DC, is bracing for a white nationalist rally on Sunday that’s organized to coincide with the anniversary of last year’s racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The ‘Unite the Right 2’ event is set to take place at 5.30pm in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House. 

Several demonstrations by counterprotesters, who are expected to outnumber the white nationalists, are due to be held nearby.

Jason Kessler, the principal organizer of last year’s ‘Unite the Right’ event is scheduled to hold a so-called white civil rights rally.

  

Washington, DC, is bracing for a white nationalist rally on Sunday that’s organized to coincide with the anniversary of last year’s racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. The ‘Unite the Right 2’ event is set to take place at 5.30pm in Lafayette Square, across the street from the White House (pictured)

Several demonstrations by counterprotesters, who are expected to outnumber the white nationalists, are due to be held nearby

Several demonstrations by counterprotesters, who are expected to outnumber the white nationalists, are due to be held nearby

Jason Kessler, the principal organizer of last year's 'Unite the Right' event is scheduled to hold a so-called white civil rights rally. Kessler said in his permit application that he expects 100 to 400 people to participate in his event Sunday afternoon in Lafayette Park, in front of the White House

Jason Kessler, the principal organizer of last year’s ‘Unite the Right’ event is scheduled to hold a so-called white civil rights rally. Kessler said in his permit application that he expects 100 to 400 people to participate in his event Sunday afternoon in Lafayette Park, in front of the White House

Counter protesters gather at Freedom Plaza ahead of the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House 

Counter protesters gather at Freedom Plaza ahead of the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House 

Authorities have promised an enormous police presence to keep both sides apart and avoid the street brawls that broke out last year in downtown Charlottesville

Authorities have promised an enormous police presence to keep both sides apart and avoid the street brawls that broke out last year in downtown Charlottesville

Groups protest in Freedom Plaza with the US Capitol in the background, on the one year anniversary of Charlottesville's 'Unite the Right' rally

Groups protest in Freedom Plaza with the US Capitol in the background, on the one year anniversary of Charlottesville’s ‘Unite the Right’ rally

Kessler, who abandoned his bid to stage a similar anniversary event in Charlottesville, said in his permit application that he expects 100 to 400 people to participate in his event Sunday afternoon, in front of the White House.

President Donald Trump won’t be there, though. He was at his golf club in New Jersey.

Authorities have promised an enormous police presence to keep both sides apart and avoid the street brawls that broke out last year in downtown Charlottesville. 

A local woman, Heather Heyer, was killed when an Ohio man, James Fields, drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.

At the time, Trump said there were ‘very fine people’ on both sides, spurring criticism from across the political divide that he was equating the counterprotesters with the rally attendees, who included neo-Nazis and other white supremacists.

On Saturday, Trump condemned ‘all types of racism’ in a Twitter post marking the anniversary.

‘The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division. We must come together as a nation,’ the president tweeted. 

‘I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence. Peace to ALL Americans!’ he added. 

Heather Heyer

James Fields

A local woman, Heather Heyer (left), was killed when an Ohio man, James Fields (right), drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters

This silver Dodge Charger was allegedly driven by James Alex Fields Jr into a crowd of counterprotesters on Water Street on August 12, 2017  

This silver Dodge Charger was allegedly driven by James Alex Fields Jr into a crowd of counterprotesters on Water Street on August 12, 2017  

Counter-demonstrators begin to assemble in Lafayette Park rally across from the White House ahead of the planned white supremacist Unite the Right rally

Counter-demonstrators begin to assemble in Lafayette Park rally across from the White House ahead of the planned white supremacist Unite the Right rally

City worker Kenneth Keeles removes newspaper boxes from a street corner ahead of a white supremacists, neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups gathering for the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House

City worker Kenneth Keeles removes newspaper boxes from a street corner ahead of a white supremacists, neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups gathering for the Unite the Right rally in Lafayette Park across from the White House

Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser to Trump, said on Sunday that the media was ‘just not covering’ the president’s repeated denunciations of white nationalists.

‘He’s calling for unity among all Americans and he denounced all forms of bigotry and acts of violence and racism,’ Conway said on ABC’s ‘This Week.’

Democratic US Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said Trump was not doing enough to disavow racists.

‘He has not gone far enough,’ Cummings said on ABC. 

‘I think it’s a low bar for the president of the United States to simply say he’s against racism. He’s got to do better than that. He’s got to address the people who are spouting racist-type comments and do racial, racist-type acts.’

In Washington on Saturday evening, nearly two dozen police officers patrolled Lafayette Square, where members of the Washington chapter of Black Lives Matter were sprinkled through the park, seemingly standing on guard.

Organizers of #OccupyLafayettePark, a civil rights group that holds nightly protests in the square, held up posters reading ‘Love America, Hate Trump’ and ‘Defend The District From White Supremacy’ just steps away from the White House.

At the time, Trump said there were 'very fine people' on both sides, spurring criticism from across the political divide that he was equating the counterprotesters with the rally attendees, who included neo-Nazis and other white supremacists

At the time, Trump said there were ‘very fine people’ on both sides, spurring criticism from across the political divide that he was equating the counterprotesters with the rally attendees, who included neo-Nazis and other white supremacists

But on Saturday, Trump condemned 'all types of racism' in a Twitter post marking the anniversary. 'The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division. We must come together as a nation,' the president tweeted (pictured)

But on Saturday, Trump condemned ‘all types of racism’ in a Twitter post marking the anniversary. ‘The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division. We must come together as a nation,’ the president tweeted (pictured)

In the picturesque college town of Charlottesville, hundreds of police officers maintained a security perimeter around the normally bustling downtown district throughout the day on Saturday. Students from the University of Virginia, along with residents, marched across the campus on Saturday

In the picturesque college town of Charlottesville, hundreds of police officers maintained a security perimeter around the normally bustling downtown district throughout the day on Saturday. Students from the University of Virginia, along with residents, marched across the campus on Saturday

Many of the protesters directed their anger at the heavy police presence, with chants like 'cops and Klan go hand in hand,' a year after police were harshly criticized for their failure to prevent the violence

Many of the protesters directed their anger at the heavy police presence, with chants like ‘cops and Klan go hand in hand,’ a year after police were harshly criticized for their failure to prevent the violence

On Sunday, demonstrators took to the streets again to march against racism as they marked the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia 

On Sunday, demonstrators took to the streets again to march against racism as they marked the anniversary of last year’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia 

In the picturesque college town of Charlottesville, hundreds of police officers maintained a security perimeter around the normally bustling downtown district throughout the day on Saturday. 

Vehicular traffic was barred from an area of more than 15 city blocks, while pedestrians were allowed access at two checkpoints where officers examined bags for weapons.

Hundreds of students and activists took to the streets on Saturday evening. 

Many of the protesters directed their anger at the heavy police presence, with chants like ‘cops and Klan go hand in hand,’ a year after police were harshly criticized for their failure to prevent the violence.

Earlier on Saturday, a group of anti-fascist protesters walked through the downtown area, holding signs with messages like ‘Good Night White Pride.’ But the day was largely free of confrontation.

On Sunday morning, activist Grace Aheron, 27, donned a Black Lives Matter T-shirt and joined hundreds of fellow Charlottesville residents who gathered at Booker T. Washington Park to mark the anniversary of last year’s bloodshed.

‘We want to claim our streets back, claim our public space back, claim our city back,’ Aheron said at the park.

Several events were scheduled in the city including a gathering that will include veteran civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton and Susan Bro, the mother of the woman who was killed a year ago.

Last year, several hundred white nationalists and white supremacists carried torches and marched in a parade through the University of Virginia campus

Last year, several hundred white nationalists and white supremacists carried torches and marched in a parade through the University of Virginia campus

The march lasted 15 to 20 minutes before ending in skirmishing when the marchers were met by a small group of counterprotesters at the base of the statue of Thomas Jefferson, the university's founder 

The march lasted 15 to 20 minutes before ending in skirmishing when the marchers were met by a small group of counterprotesters at the base of the statue of Thomas Jefferson, the university’s founder 

 



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