On Saturday, white nationalists and Neo-Nazis flooded the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, for a “Unite the Right” march to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue - their Confederate flags, swastikas and pointed hats proudly on display.
As expected, the rally was met by counter-protestors and things took a violent turn. Shouting matches morphed into brawls, and police dressed in full riot gear were forced to whip out the tear gas and smoke bombs.
But the real tragedy occurred when a man intentionally drove his car into a group of counter-protestors, killing 32-year-old Heather D. Heyer and wounding over a dozen others.
President Trump called this weekend’s events an “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence.” Many others, including White House National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, went even father in condemning the violence, labeling it an act of domestic terror.
Here are twenty of the most powerful images from this weekend in Charlottesville.
White nationalists and Neo-Nazis carry torches through the University of Virginia campus the night before the planned “Unite the Right” march.
White nationalists and Neo Nazis march throughout the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia.
Photo: Reuters - Joshua Roberts
Members of the “Unite the Right” march gather around a statue of Robert E. Lee, their Confederate and Neo-Nazi flags held high.
Photo: Reuters - Joshua Roberts
Members of a white supremacists militia stand alongside those participating in the “Unite the Right” march.
David Duke is spotted marching alongside white nationalists and Neo-Nazis through the streets of Charlottesville.
A woman holds up a sign that reads, “Tolerance does not mean tolerating intolerance.”
Counter-protesters rally against white nationalists participating in the “Unite the Right” march.
White nationalists clash with a group of counter-protesters.
A man is kicked while down during a clash between white nationalist protesters and a group of counter-protesters.
Virginia State Police use pepper spray in an attempt to break up the fight between white nationalists and counter-protesters.
Counter-protesters run as a car drives directly into the crowd.
People are launched into the air as a car plows into a group of counter-protestors.
Emergency personnel rush to help those injured after a car drove into a group of counter-protesters.
A Virginia State Trooper stands guard at the crime scene where a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters, leaving one dead.
A makeshift memorial is set up for Heather D. Heyer, the woman who was killed when a man drove his car into a group of counter-protestors.
The lead organizer for Congregate Charlottesville receives a hug from a supporter after she addressed the crowd at a vigil following Saturday’s events.
A woman cries at a vigil for the 19 people injured and one killed by the car that plowed into the group protesting the “Unite the Right” rally.
A woman attends a rally in Oakland, California, in response to the Charlottesville attack with the words "Stop Killing Us" written on her face.
Photo: Reuters - Stephen Lam
A woman joins protestors in Oakland, California while holding a sign that reads, “I can't believe I am still protesting Nazis.”
Photo: AP - Noah Berger
People gather outside the White House for a vigil in response to Saturday's attack.
Following this weekend’s awful events, it’s easy to start allocating blame. But here are a few things to keep in mind - courtesy of Townhall’s Guy Benson - before you start pointing that finger.
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