UPDATE: Two troopers have died in Charlottesville after a VA State Police helicopter crashed near the protest site.
MORE: Virginia State Police say "two confirmed fatalities” after helicopter crash in Albemarle County, Virginia; crash under investigation. pic.twitter.com/jumeHFum0H
— ABC News (@ABC) August 12, 2017
JUST IN: 2 troopers killed in helicopter crash southwest of Charlottesville, Virginia State Police confirm
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 12, 2017
BREAKING: @HenryGraff reports: VA State Police release details of helicopter crash killing two police officers. pic.twitter.com/ijrFg7FnWl
— NBC29 (@NBC29) August 13, 2017
***
Jen has been covering the chaos in Charlottesville, Virginia, where alt-right activists descended into the city to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue. The event began last night with a night rally and plenty of torches.
Attorney General Sessions' statement: https://t.co/c2Ku4D95MC pic.twitter.com/GXKZnqG3Ky
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) August 12, 2017
"We have to respect each other. Ideally, we have to love each other."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 12, 2017
WATCH: @POTUS's full remarks on #Charlottesville. pic.twitter.com/kzO5XMoYh8
Today, violent clashes broke out between counter protesters, which led to Gov. Terry McAuliffe declaring a state of emergency. Over 1,000 police were deployed to try and keep law and order. President Trump and other congressional leaders have issues statements of condemnation of the bigotry and violence that has occurred. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, contrary to claims by liberals, has also condemned the violence as “contrary to American values.”
At least 1,000 officers have been deployed to #Charlottesville. https://t.co/7V8OZqSL4Y pic.twitter.com/EJ4sAdpLTi
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 12, 2017
Emblematic indeed#Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/qTvTB3BpSa
— Andy Campbell (@AndyBCampbell) August 12, 2017
Tragically, scores of people were injured when a car plowed through counter protesters in the city. The driver in is custody, but we don’t know much more than that. Nineteen people were injured and one person has died (via Fox News):
BREAKING: Hospital official says one dead, 19 injured after car plows into a group of protesters in downtown Charlottesville, Va.
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 12, 2017
At least one person was killed and several others were injured Saturday when a car rammed into a group of counter-protesters during the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va.
Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer tweeted that he was "heartbroken that a life has been lost here" and urged "all people of good will [to] go home."
[…]
The crash occurred approximately two hours after clashes in which hundreds of people screamed, chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other ahead of the scheduled noon demonstration.
BREAKING: State official says driver of car that plowed into group of protesters in Charlottesville, Va., is in custody
— The Associated Press (@AP) August 12, 2017
BREAKING: Trump condemns "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" in Virginia.
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) August 12, 2017
BREAKING: Trump on Virginia: "What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) August 12, 2017
BREAKING: Trump says Americans must come together "with love for our nation ... and true affection for each other."
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) August 12, 2017
Brennan Gilmore, the former chief of staff to ex-Rep. Tom Perriello (D-VA), took video of the incident. It’s quite ghastly.
Video of car hitting anti-racist protestors. Let there be no confusion: this was deliberate terrorism. My prayers with victims. Stay home. pic.twitter.com/MUOZs71Pf4
— Brennan Gilmore (@brennanmgilmore) August 12, 2017