Woman is killed and nineteen hurt as car plows into anti-fascists at white nationalist rally: Driver ‘intentionally’ accelerates into crowd and is arrested after riot cops use rip gas to break up violent clashes
Published: 06:43 BST, twelve August two thousand seventeen | Updated: 12:40 BST, thirteen August two thousand seventeen
James Alex Fields Jr (pictured), of Maumee, Ohio, was arrested on Saturday after he ‘intentionally drove his vehicle into a crowd of anti-fascists at white nationalist rally, killing one woman and injuring nineteen others’ in Charlottesville, Virginia
At least one person is dead after a driver intentionally plowed into a group of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, following violent clashes that erupted inbetween white nationalists and activists on Saturday.
James Alex Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. He was charged with second-degree murder.
Movie of the Dodge Challenger, which is registered to Fields, demonstrated the driver accelerating into the crowd throwing bods into the air as people scream before reversing at high speed.
The incident killed a 32-year-old woman, whose identity has not been released by authorities pending her family’s notification.
Fields was apprehended and arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene.
According to the jail’s superintendent, Martin Kumer, Fields was also booked on suspicion of malicious wounding, failure to stop for an accident involving a death, and hit and run. Kumer said Fields is being held without bail.
Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas said a total of thirty five people had been treated for injuries, fourteen of those were from individual engagements on the streets.
Horrifying movie from the scene of the attack shows the silver muscle car speeding towards a group of fleeing anti-fascist protesters.
Another clip shows the vehicle ramming into the crowd at high speed and victims sobbing out in ache as they despairingly seek medical help.
Witnesses said the car was traveling up to forty miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone’s shoe linked to its bumper.
Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe strongly condemned all of the so-called ‘patriotic’ white nationalists during a press conference Saturday evening.
‘Go home. You are not desired in this good commonwealth,’ McAuliffe proclaimed. ‘You are not patriots. You came here today to hurt people and that is not patriotic,’ McAuliffe added.
Witnesses said moments before the car plowed into the crowd, a counter-protester had allegedly thrown a rock at the car, causing the driver to swivel around and ram into people and two cars in its way.
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A Dodge Challenger (pictured) intentionally plowed into counter protesters, killing one woman and hospitalizing nineteen others, as violence erupted at a rally where thousands of white nationalists gathered for an alt-right event in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. Police said a total of thirty five people were treated for injuries
Witnesses said the car was traveling up to forty miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone’s shoe fastened to its bumper
Fields was apprehended and is presently in police custody. He was arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene. Pictured: The car that allegedly ran into several people
A counter protester had allegedly thrown a rock at the car, causing the driver to swivel around and accelerate into people and two cars in its way, before driving away from the scene
Rescue personnel help an injured woman after a car ran into a large group of counter protesters. There were several hundred people marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them
Rescue personnel help an injured man after the car drove into a large group of protesters after the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville
Local police reported there were numerous injures and three vehicles were involved in the crash. Pictured: The two vehicles that were rammed into by a Dodge Challenger
People were heard screaming and weeping in the aftermath of the smash, as blood was splattered on a car’s windshield and victims were despairingly calling out for medical help
In addition to the dozen of people hurt in the accident, at least fifteen people were already being treated for their injures during other disruptive clashes inbetween white nationalists and counter-protesters at Emancipation Park before the controversial Unite the Right rally.
President Trump admonished the day’s tragic events, telling in a press conference: ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides. The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now.’
There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them and police said the crash happened near the intersection of Fourth and Water streets.
Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said counter-protesters were marching when ‘abruptly there was just this tire screeching sound.’
The silver sedan smashed into another car, then backed up, plowing through ‘a sea of people.’
People scattered, running for safety in different directions, he said.
Witness Nic McCarthy told C-VILLE Weekly: ‘There was someone in a dark vehicle that sped, very quickly, down this road and rammed into the crowd.
‘People. He backed up and he went back in again.’
McCarthy added: ‘There was a lady that was caught and she was attempting to get up and it ran over her again. I hope the cops catch these terrorists.’
The day was met with more tragedy, when a Virginia State Police helicopter, believed to be carrying two people, crashed inwards city boundaries and thick black smoke was seen rising from behind the trees, according to local reports.
According to WSET, there were two people on board the helicopter when it crashed, however it is not known if there are any injuries or fatalities.
Warning: Explicit language
The day was met with more tragedy, when a Virginia State Police helicopter, believed to be carrying two people, crashed inwards city thresholds and thick black smoke was seen rising from behind the trees, according to local reports
A 10-second movie posted to Twitter and filmed on a golf course shows thick black smoke rising from behind the trees. It is unknown if there are any injuries or fatalities from the crash
Upsetting movie footage of the vehicle ramming into the crowd, described by some as a terror attack, was uploaded online moments after the fatal collision
A vehicle reverses after driving into a group of protesters demonstrating against the day’s white nationalist rally
There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them and police said the crash happened near the intersection of Fourth and Water streets
It is believed a counter protester had thrown a rock at the vehicle, causing the driver to swivel around and ram into people and cars in its way, before driving off with someone’s shoe affixed to its bumper.
The horrifying scenes in Virginia came after violent clashes erupted inbetween white nationalists and activists.
Upsetting movie footage of the vehicle ramming into the crowd, described by some as a terror attack, was uploaded online moments after the fatal collision.
Another witness claimed the act was intentional. He said: ‘Yeah, it was intentional.About forty miles an hour, hit about 15-20 people, crashed into the two cars in front of it, and then backed up and sped away while cops were standing on the side of the road and didn’t do anything.’
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Singer announced the death on Twitter. He wrote: ‘I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will – go home.’
There were several hundred protesters marching in a long line when the car drove into a group of them
A witness claimed the act was intentional. He said : ‘Yeah, it was intentional.About forty miles an hour, hit about 15-20 people, crashed into the two cars in front of it, and then backed up and sped away while cops were standing on the side of the road and didn’t do anything’
President Trump admonished the day’s tragic events, telling in a press conference: ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides. The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now’
President Trump admonished the day’s outcome, tweeting: ‘Am in Bedminster for meetings & press conference on V.A. & all that we have done, and are doing, to make it better-but Charlottesville sad!’
President Trump added: ‘We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!’
Very first Lady Melania Trump tweeted: ‘Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let’s communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence’
On Saturday evening Trump followed up with this tweet in which he sent his ‘deepest condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today’
Trump took a break from his time in Bedminister to condemn the violence in Charlottesville but also took the time to announce the signing of legislation to expand a veterans health care program.
He said: ‘We have to respect each other, ideally we have to love each other.’
Trump had earlier tweeted about the violence that erupted amid the white supremacist march. He tweeted that ‘we ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for.’ He then wrote ‘There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!’
The White House was silent for hours about the clashes except for a solitary tweet from Very first Lady Melania Trump. The president has received previous criticism for being slow to condemn acts of hate done in his name.
And however the White House may have been slow to condemn the hateful acts, Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe gave a powerful speech in which he said all of the so-called ‘patriotic’ white nationalists are not desired in the United States.
And tho’ the White House may have been slow to condemn the hateful acts, Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe (pictured) gave a powerful speech in which he said all of the so-called ‘patriotic’ white nationalists are not dreamed in the United States. ‘My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed,’ he said
A counter demonstrator uses a lighted drizzle can against a white nationalist demonstrator at the entrance to Lee Park
‘My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed,’ he said. ‘There is no place for you here and there is no place for you in America.’
McAuliffe also said he spoke to the president on Saturday following the horrific acts of violence in Virginia.
‘I told the president that there has got to be a movement in this country to bring us together,’ he said.
McAuliffe said he told the president that he’s willing to ‘work with him to stop the hate speech and the bigotry in this country’.
During Saturday evening’s press conference, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas, confirmed that a total of thirty five people had been treated for injuries, fourteen of those came from individual engagements on the streets.
Nine pedestrians were treated with injuries that ranged from ‘life-threatening to minor’ after the car plowed through the crowd.
Thomas said the 32-year-old woman was struck by the vehicle as she was crossing the street. He didn’t release any information on the woman pending her family’s notification.
He said the incident is still under investigation and will be investigated as a criminal homicide.
The crash occurred approximately two hours after violent clashes inbetween white nationalists and counter-protesters earlier that day during the planned Unite the Right rally.
Hundreds were seen stomping through the city, wearing militia uniforms, flapping flags and chanting ‘Blood and Soil’ as they made their way towards the event on Saturday morning.
Counter-protesters flocked to the march in retaliation against the white nationalists, neo-Confederates and alt-right activists, screaming: ‘We’re here, we’re gay, we fight the KKK!’
Very first Lady Melania Trump tweeted: ‘Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let’s communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence.’
The protest hadn’t officially commenced but social media movies showcased the rally was escalating as people were seen throwing objects, violating out into fights and people unloading mace into the crowd.
Arrests were made after police in riot gear attempted to clear the park and a group of protesters shoved back against them, while the battle inbetween the two protester groups continued to rage on in the streets of the city.
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer had denounced the ‘cowardly parade of hatred, bigotry, racism, and intolerance march down the lawns of the architect of our Bill of Rights’ and warned for residents to stay away from the rally.
At least fifteen people were earnestly injured earlier during the day during clashes inbetween white nationalists and counter-protesters at Emancipation Park before the controversial Unite the Right rally on Saturday. A movie emerges to demonstrate the quarrel, as a man is being dragged away while a woman screams: ‘Don’t permit them to do this!’
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer denounced the ‘cowardly parade of hatred, bigotry, racism, and intolerance march down the lawns of the architect of our Bill of Rights’ and warned for residents to stay away from the rally
The Unite the Right rally was being held at Emancipation Park and hundreds were seen stomping through the city, wearing militia uniforms, swinging flags and chanting ‘Blood and Soil’ as they made their way towards the event
White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the ‘alt-right’ clash with counter-protesters
Police were in position at Emancipation Park and downtown Charlottesville by 6am as they ready for the rally.
Inbetween Four,000 and 6,000 people from groups including white nationalists, neo-Confederates and alt-right activists were expected to protest at the park, which had recently been renamed from Lee Park.
Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler planned what he called a ‘pro-white’ rally to protest Charlottesville’s decision to eliminate a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Supporters and counter-protesters screamed, chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and whipped out chemical splashes on each other. Fellows dressed in militia uniforms were carrying shields and openly carrying guns.
The protest hadn’t yet begun when two people were gravely injured and protesters reportedly deployed pepper dump, according to state police.
Jason Kessler, the organizer of the rally, said he disavows the violence that eroded it.
The alt-right blogger said in an interview later that day that whoever drove a car into a group of counter-protesters ‘did the wrong thing.’ He said he was saddened that people were hurt.
Kessler is a local blogger and activist who described the event as a pro-white rally. He planned it to protest the city’s decision to eliminate a Confederate monument.
He also criticized law enforcement’s response to the event, which was dispersed before speakers could take the stage. He said they did a poor job controlling the chaos to permit free speech.