Vigil, marches mark protest anniversary
A year after deadly clash in Charlottesville, many hope for healing
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. — A year after a deadly gathering of far-right extremists in Charlottesville, Virginia, a few dozen white nationalists marched Sunday across from the White House, their numbers dwarfed by thousands of counterprotesters, while the mother of a woman killed at last summer’s protest said the country continues to face unhealed racial wounds.
The events, largely peaceful though tense at times in Charlottesville and Washington, were part of a day of speeches, vigils and marches marking the anniversary of what was one of the largest gatherings of white nationalists and other far-right extremists in a decade.
In Washington, dozens of police in bright yellow vests formed a tight cordon around the small group of white nationalists, separating them from shouting counterprotesters within view of the White House.
President Donald Trump wasn’t at home — he has been at his golf club in New Jersey for more than a week on a working vacation.
Jason Kessler, the principal organizer of last year’s “Unite the Right” event, led what he called a white civil rights rally in Lafayette Square, directly across the street from the White House.
Kessler said in his permit application that he expected 100 to 400 people to participate, though the number appeared lower. Just before 4 p.m., a contingent of fewer than 30 white nationalists began marching through the streets.
Counterprotesters who assembled ahead of the rally’s scheduled start vastly outnumbered Kessler’s crowd. By midafternoon, more than 1,000 people had already gathered in Freedom Plaza, also near the White House, to oppose Kessler’s demonstration and also march to Lafayette Square.
Makia Green, who represents the Washington branch of Black Lives Matter, told Sunday’s crowd: “We know from experience that ignoring white nationalism doesn’t work.”