Counterprotesters to dwarf white civil rights rally in DC
CHARLOTTESVILLE: A day after tensions between police and community activists nearly boiled over on the University of Virginia’s campus, the city of Charlottesville planned to mark yesterday’s anniversary of a deadly gathering of white supremacists with a rally against racial hatred. But some 185 kilometres away in Washington, the principal organiser of last year’s “Unite the Right’’ event will hold a “white civil rights rally’’, and police are preparing for crowds of counterprotesters.
Jason Kessler, who abandoned his bid to stage a similar anniversary event in Charlottesville, said in his permit application that he expected 100 to 400 people to participate in his event yesterday afternoon in Lafayette Park, in front of the White House.
But that could be lower and likely will be dwarfed by counterprotests. Some leading figures in the US white nationalist movement have said they won’t attend or have encouraged supporters to stay away.
The National Park Service also issued permits for events organised by DC United Against Hate, New York Black Lives Matter, and other groups. Government and police officials in Washington have expressed confidence the city can manage the events without violence; the mayor and police chief have promised a massive security mobilisation to keep protesters and counter-protesters apart.
On Saturday evening on UVA’s campus, police had a brief, tense confrontation with students and other activists angry over a heavy security presence. They unfurled a banner reading “Last year they came w/ torches. This year they come w/ badge’’ and chanted “Why are you in riot gear? We don’t see no riot here’’. More than 200 marched to another part of campus, where many shouted at a line of officers.
Last year, 22-year-old Clara Carlson faced down the group of white supremacists who marched through campus, surrounding her and a group of friends. On Saturday night, she was angry at the police response to the student rally.
“The university administration just let white supremacists roll through grounds with their torches, and for us, they’re afraid of us. They are afraid of us because we are demanding change from the university,’’ Ms Carlson said.
The rest of the day had been much quieter, with some residents and businesses expressing that they felt calmer with the police presence in town.
Last year, on Aug 12, hundreds of white nationalists descended on Charlottesville to protest the city’s decision decided to remove a monument to Confederate Gen Robert E Lee from a park.
Violent fighting broke out between attendees and counterprotesters on that day. The authorities eventually forced the crowd to disperse, but a car later barreled into a crowd of peaceful counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A state police helicopter also crashed later and killed two troopers.