The 2017 Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ Rally
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
The 2017 Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ Rally (In Progress)
The 2017 Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ Rally
The Charlottesville riot occurred on August 12, 2017, when a group of white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other far-right groups marched through the University of Virginia’s campus with torches while shouting racist and anti-Semitic slogans. The next day, the same groups, along with counter-protesters, assembled in downtown Charlottesville to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The rally quickly turned violent, and a car driven by a neo-Nazi plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring several others. Two Virginia State troopers also died in a helicopter crash while responding to the event. The rally was widely condemned as an act of domestic terrorism and a display of white supremacy.
The lead-up to the event was marked by growing tensions in Charlottesville. The city council had voted to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee, which was seen as a symbol of racism and slavery. Far-right groups saw the removal of the statue as an attack on Southern heritage and mobilized to protest.
In the aftermath of the rally, there were calls for President Donald Trump to denounce white supremacists and hate groups. Trump initially blamed "both sides" for the violence and refused to specifically condemn the white supremacists who organized the rally. Trump’s response drew widespread criticism from politicians on both sides of the aisle.
In contrast, Joe Biden, who was former Vice President at the time, condemned the white supremacists in no uncertain terms, calling them “a small group of thugs” and “a neo-Nazi, white supremacist, hate group.” Biden was moved by the violence in Charlottesville and later announced his candidacy for president, with the incident cited as a major inspiration for his decision to run.
Russia was also allegedly involved in the Charlottesville rally. Far-right groups in the United States, including some of the organizers of the rally, have expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his policies. Some experts have suggested that Russia may have played a role in stoking racial tensions in the United States, including at the Charlottesville rally.
In 2017, a group of torch-wielding protesters chanted "Russia is our friend" as they gathered around the statue of Robert E. Lee at the University of Virginia. In October of the same year, white supremacists returned to Charlottesville, again chanting “Russia is our friend.” In 2018, a GOP lawmaker suggested that Russian meddling had stirred up racial divisions at the Charlottesville rally, while Russia itself denied any involvement and accused the United States of creating the racial tensions.
Several participants in the Charlottesville rally were later charged and convicted of crimes related to the violence, including James Alex Fields, who was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Heather Heyer. In 2019, three members of a California-based white supremacist group were also sentenced to prison for their roles in the riot.
The Charlottesville riot has continued to be a divisive issue in American politics, with some accusing Trump of emboldening white supremacists and others arguing that the rally was a free speech issue. The event has also raised questions about the history of racism and race relations in the United States and the ongoing threat of white supremacy.
Written with ChatGPT on April 30, 2023