Attorney General Jeff Sessions called late Saturday for a federal investigation into the day’s racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, Politico reports.
“The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice,” Sessions said.
His announcement was followed Sunday by continued reaction to President Donald Trump’s statement Saturday that appeared to distribute blame for the violence among many or all those in attendance, as well as a revised White House statement.
The setting for the mayhem was a mass “Unite the Right” protest by a group of white supremacists, who were shouting racist and anti-Semitic slogans as they demonstrated their opposition to the removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee. Among those in attendance were former Klan leader David Duke and Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute.
“When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated. I have talked with FBI Director Chris Wray, FBI agents on the scene, and law enforcement officials for the state of Virginia. The FBI has been supporting state and local authorities throughout the day. U.S. Attorney Rick Mountcastle has commenced a federal investigation and will have the full support of the Department of Justice. Justice will prevail.” Sessions added.
A woman identified as 32-year-old Heather Heyer was killed, and at least 19 people were injured when a car slammed into a crowd of protesters. The vehicle’s driver was identified as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio, and he was charged with second-degree murder, among other possible crimes. A Justice Department official later stated that the federal investigation went beyond the driver.
“Anytime that you commit an attack against people to incite fear, it is terrorism,” said national security adviser H.R. McMaster, speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” where he also referred to the car attack as “a criminal act against fellow Americans”.
Later, two state troopers were killed when their helicopter crashed. They were identified by The Associated Press as Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Berke M.M. Bates, one day shy of his 41st birthday. The circumstances were not immediately clear. Other people were injured in fighting during the day.
In his Saturday statement, Trump condemned the violence but made it clear he blamed not only the white supremacists but others on the scene.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” the president said. Later, he tweeted condolences to Saturday’s victims.
The president’s response was widely panned because he failed to call out white supremacists specifically in his statement, which critics accused of equating the extremists with the counterprotesters. Democrats and many Republicans called on Trump to call out the white supremacist groups and call the car attack domestic terrorism.
On Sunday, following hours of uproar, the White House issued an unsigned statement clarifying Trump’s remarks.
“The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred,” the White House said.
Be the first to comment