California white supremacists arrested for neo-Nazi rally
October 3, 2018
The four Californians traveled last year to the neo-Nazi rally in Virgina, where they violently attacked counterprotesters. The men are members of the anti-Semitic Rise Above Movement, which trains in violent fighting.
The men had "traveled to Charlottesville to encourage, promote, incite, participate in and commit violent acts in furtherance of a riot," the criminal complaint filed in a Charlottesville court read.
The four men were arrested early Tuesday morning after they were identified in pictures and videos that showed them attacking counterprotesters at the August 2017 rally. The indictment said the assaults in some cases led to serious injury.
An FBI affidavit described the men as "among the most violent individuals present in Charlottesville."
The multi-day rally held there, under the slogan "Unite the Right," saw torch-wielding neo-Nazis, extreme-right supporters and white supremacists march through the streets of the university town. One person died and 19 were injured after a man drove his car into counterprotestors.
Prior to the Charlottesville rally, the four Californians had attacked counterprotestors at other political gatherings in their home state.
The men are members of the Rise Above Movement, a southern California group that espouses white supremacist, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic views. According to the Anti-Defamation League and the FBI affidavit, the group "operates like a street-fighting club," with members doing martial arts training to undergo battle with its opponents.
Attorney Cullen detailed the charges against the four men during a news conference in CharlottesvilleImage: picture-alliance/AP Photo/Z. Wajsgras
District Attorney Thomas Cullen described the four men as "serial rioters" and said that the group's "extensive" social media presence documents its past violent actions.
"This is a group that essentially subscribes to an anti-Semitic, racist ideology, and then organizes, trains, and deploys to various political rallies, not only to espouse this particular ideology but also to engage in acts of violence against folks who are taking a contrary point of view," Cullen said at a news conference announcing the charges.
According to the attorney, the men could face up to ten years in prison if convicted on the two counts each of them faces. The trial could begin by the end of the year.
The investigation that led to the four men's arrests was aided by the ProPublica investigative journalism network and the US public television broadcaster, PBS.
What was meant to be a protest against the removal of a statue of Civil War general Robert E. Lee has turned into violence. One person has died as clashes between white nationalists and left-wing groups turned ugly.
Image: Getty Images/W. McNamee
The Confederacy lives on
Having lost the Civil War 152 years ago, many in the South hang on to a romanticized image of its history despite its erstwhile support of slavery. African-Americans and their liberal allies have taken umbrage to this, demanding the removal of symbols like the Confederate flag seen to be positively celebrating the war, which some in the South still refer to as "the war of Northern Aggression."
Image: Getty Images/C. Somodevilla
Clashes on the streets of Charlottesville
Protests were scheduled in Charlottesville, Virginia, after the city announced that a statue of Civil War general Robert E. Lee would be removed following the most recent public outcry against symbols glorifying the racist past of the South. Clashes soon broke out between opponents, chiefly led by white nationalist groups including the KKK, and left-liberals.
Image: Getty Images/C. Somodevilla
State of emergency
Some of the protesters attending the rally came dressed up in riot gear, signaling a willingness to engage in violent clashes. Local police were overwhelmed despite having reinforcements in place resulting in Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe declaring a local state of emergency in Charlottesville.
Image: Getty Images/C. Somodevilla
Car attack
The violence escalated on the second day of rallies and counter-protests when this care rammed another vehicle at great speed on the streets of downtown Charlottesville. One person died and at least 19 others were injured during the assault. The driver of the car has been taken into custody.
Image: Getty Images/W. McNamee
Making America great again
US President Donald Trump reacted to the events in Charlottesville, saying at a press conference that there was an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides." Commentators soon criticized the President for not explicitly condemning the white nationalist violence.
Image: picture-alliance/Zumapress/A. Shurtleff
First responders on the scene
Emergency services quickly responded to those injured during the attack, as at least 19 people were injured. One 34-year-old woman was killed when being rammed by the car. A vigil was held later in the day in Charlottesville as well as in other parts of the country.
Image: Getty Images/C. Somodevilla
Spiral of hate
Vigils held in American cities are becoming increasingly commonplace, as violence between various social groups has grown in recent years. The deaths of several young black males at the hands of police officers has given rise to the "Black Lives Matter" movement, which has led calls to remove statues, flags and other symbols glorifying the racist aspects of the past of the South.
