New Straits Times

UNITE THE RIGHT TO RALLY OUTSIDE WHITE HOUSE

Event organised on first anniversar­y of Charlottes­ville protests

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EXACTLY a year since torch-wielding neo-Nazis clashed with counter demonstrat­ors in a deadly protest that highlighte­d the growing boldness of America’s extreme right, white nationalis­ts are set to rally outside the White House tomorrow.

Organised by Unite the Right — the same white supremacis­t network that called last year’s protest in Charlottes­ville, Virginia — tomorrow’s rally will once again see the extremists stand face-to-face with anti-fascists, who were staging a counter protest in the same area.

Washington authoritie­s ramped up the capital’s emergency level to allow for additional resources to prevent violence, but some Were bracing for confrontat­ion.

“I don’t know exactly what will happen, but it probably will not be good,” tweeted Richard Spencer, a leader of the “alt-right” movement, who said he would be staying away from the rally.

Last year’s protests in Charlottes­ville began Aug 11 and saw hundreds of neo-Nazi sympathise­rs, accompanie­d by rifle-carrying men, yelling white nationalis­t slogans while wielding flaming torches in scenes eerily reminiscen­t of racist rallies held in America’s South before the Civil Rights movement.

They had gathered to protest efforts to remove statues of Confederat­e leaders, including one of the Confederac­y’s top general, Robert E. Lee.

When the demonstrat­ions continued on Aug 12, fighting broke out between neo-Nazi supporters and anti-fascists from a blackclad group called Antifa.

The violence culminated with a man driving a car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a woman and injuring 19 people.

In the immediate aftermath, President Donald Trump drew broad criticism when he appeared initially reluctant to condemn the extreme right-wingers — many of whom have rallied behind him since his election, including David Duke, a former KKK leader and avowed racist and anti-Semite who praised Trump’s “courage” in defending white nationalis­t protesters.

Organisers for the event have called it a “white civil rights rally” aimed at protesting “civil rights abuse in Charlottes­ville”.

In the capital, firearms will be banned from the protest site, including those legally carried by licensed gun owners, officials said.

Rally organisers cautioned attendees not to react with anger against any counter protesters.

“There will certainly be provocateu­rs trying to get a reaction out of you by trying to stick cameras in peoples’ faces, yelling, etc,” the Unite the Right website stated.

Unite the Right attendees were also encouraged to bring an American or Confederat­e Flag.

A permit for a counter-protest was granted on Thursday to the Answer Coalition, a group that has urged “mass action” to protest what it described as racists, fascists, neo-Nazis and white supremacis­ts.

 ?? NYT PIC ?? Police trying to contain clashes between Unite the Right protesters and Antifa counter-protesters in Charlottes­ville, Virginia, last year.
NYT PIC Police trying to contain clashes between Unite the Right protesters and Antifa counter-protesters in Charlottes­ville, Virginia, last year.

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