This past weekend, a group of white nationalists, which included KKK members, Neo-nazis, and white supremacists, descended upon Charlottesville, Virginia. The reason? To take part in a “Unite The Right” march, spurred by the removal of local Confederate monuments, primarily the Robert E. Lee Statue in Emancipation Park.
It all began on Friday (August 11) evening when 100 participants marched on the University of Virginia campus, dropping pro-Nazi rhetoric and slogans such as “White Lives Matter” and “You will not replace us.” A brawl broke out with counter-protesters before police eventually dispersed the group.
On Saturday (August 12), things took a deadly turn. Following clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters, 20-year-old James Fields allegedly drove his silver Dodge Challenger into a crowd of counter-protesters, injuring 19 and killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Fields was charged with second-degree murder following the incident, according to The Guardian.
Many in the Hip Hop world took to social media to condemn the rally and the vile movement it represents. Check out some of the response below.