A timeline of the deadly weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- This weekend marks one year since the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when 32-year-old counter protester Heather Heyer was killed.
Here is a timeline of events leading up to and surrounding the violence.
February 2017
The Charlottesville City Council votes to remove a statue of Confederate war hero Robert E. Lee.
March 2017
Several groups and individuals filed a lawsuit against the Charlottesville City Council. They said that the removal would violate the terms of the statue's donor and that it would go against laws surrounding war statues.
May 2017
A group protesting the removal of the statue gathered, carrying torches, in what was then called Robert E. Lee Park, where the statue is located. They were met by counter-protesters.
June 2017
A plaque is removed from in front of the Robert E. Lee statue.
Robert E. Lee Park is renamed Emancipation Park, the city's mayor announced.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe released a statement about planned security for the "Unite the Right" white nationalist rally, which was planned in part to protest the removal of the statue. He said that participants had the right to exercise their freedom of speech, but that he found their views "abhorrent." He urged demonstrators of every view point to make alternative plans.
Friday evening
After the city of Charlottesville had lobbied for a change in venue due to the size of the event, a judge ruled that the event could remain in Emancipation Park as planned.
Hundreds of white nationalists, some wielding torches, gathered at the University of Virginia ahead of Saturday's larger rally. Their chants included phrases such as "white lives matter," "you will not replace us," and the Nazi-associated phrase "blood and soil." The mayor of Charlottesville called it a "cowardly parade of hatred, bigotry, racism, and intolerance."
Approx. 8:30 a.m.
Demonstrators begin gathering at least three and a half hours before the event is scheduled to start.
President Trump addressed the nation, condemning the violence "on many sides" and saying "We must love each other, respect each other and cherish our history and our future together."
Two policemen were killed when their helicopter crashed as they were responding to the day's events. They were identified as Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates.
Police announce an arrest in the car-ramming incident, 20-year-old James Alex Fields, Jr. from Ohio. He was charged with second-degree murder.
Sunday, August 13
A White House spokesperson released a statement saying that the president condemns white nationalists groups.
"The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred," the statement reads, "and of course that includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups. He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together."
Solidarity events took place around the country on Sunday, and more are planned for Monday. Democratic group Indivisible told Vox that nearly 700 such events have already been planned.
Monday, August 14
The president again addressed the violence, restating parts of his original statement without using the words "on many, many sides." This time he listed neo-Nazis and the KKK by name in his condemnation.
