Victim’s mother urges turning ‘anger into righteous action’

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The mother of a woman killed while protesting a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville urged mourners at a memorial service Wednesday to “make my daughter’s death worthwhile” by confronting injustice and channelling “anger into righteous action,” stirring applause from the hundreds of people who packed into a downtown theatre wearing the victim’s favourite colour, purple.

“They tried to kill my child to shut her up. Well, guess what? You just magnified her,” said Susan Bro, pointing a defiant finger as her audience gave her a standing ovation.

The white nationalists who had pledged to show up and potentially disrupt services for Heather Heyer were nowhere to be seen among the residents, clergy people and out-of-town tourists who gathered outside the Paramount Theatre to remember her.

Heyer was among the hundreds of protesters who gathered Saturday in Charlottesville to decry what was believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in a decade — including neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members. They descended on the city for a rally prompted by the city’s decision to remove a Confederate monument.

Counter-protesters had converged for a march along a downtown street when suddenly a Dodge Challenger barrelled into them, hurling people into the air. The Ohio man who police say was driving, 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., was described by a former high school teacher as an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. He was quickly taken into custody and has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

Heyer’s family members and friends said her death would only inspire them to fight harder for justice.

Heyer’s grandfather said his 32-year-old granddaughter wanted fairness from a young age.

President Donald Trump tweeted for the first time Wednesday about Heyer, calling her “beautiful and incredible” and a “truly special young woman.” He said “she will be long remembered by all!”

Trump told reporters Tuesday that he planned to reach out to Heyer’s family. The White House did not respond to questions Wednesday about whether Trump has contacted Heyer’s family.

In the wake of the tragedy, Baltimore quietly removed confederate monuments and hauled them away on trucks in darkness early Wednesday morning.

Workers used cranes to lift the towering monument to Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson onto a flatbed truck.

— AP During a memorial for her daughter Wednesday in Charlottesville, Va., Susan Bro asked mourners to make her ‘daughter’s death worthwhile.’ Heather Heyer, was killed Saturday when a car rammed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally.