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One is dead in Charlottesville, Virginia. The victim's name and cause of death have yet to be released.
During a march and counter-protest, a car struck numerous pedestrians and two other vehicles. At least nine persons were struck and received medical attention at the scene.
The driver's vehicle was allegedly struck by rocks or batons prior to the event. It's not known if the driver panicked in reaction to the blows. He did reverse and accelerate after striking the pedestrians in front.
The incident occurred as the town was facing a demonstration against the renaming of (General) Lee (Municipal) Park to the Emancipation Park. The city's decision to remove the statue faces a lawsuit to prevent its removal.
A mix of white nationalists and others opposed to the removal of the statue were in Charlottesville to protest in what was called "Unite the Right." In a march Friday night a procession of candle-holding protesters surrounded a statue of Thomas Jefferson. This group was then in turn surrounded by counter-protestors.
Violence escalated on Saturday afternoon, where the opposing sides attacked each other. On Saturday, law-enforcement presence was reported to be 1,000 or more. No clear assessment of the number of protestors present on each side is available at this time.
President Trump made a statement as a result of the tragedy. Senator Hatch (R-Utah) and others have made statements opposing the violence and bigotry.
While the march was organized by white nationalists, most of the participants in the violence appear to have come from other places. The town is politically liberal. Its decision to remove General Lee's statue appears to have triggered the protests.
The violence testifies to the political climate and division within the country. It's not known what steps the authorities will take in Charlottesville tonight to prevent further violence.
