One dead after violence in Charlottesville

The mayor of Charlottesville, Va. confirmed that one person died after a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters during a white nationalist rally Saturday.

“I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will–go home,” Mayor Mike Signer tweeted.

I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will–go home.

— Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) August 12, 2017

Video footage showed the car plowing through a group of anti-fascist protesters after police broke up clashes between white nationalist demonstrators and counter-protesters.

{mosads}The footage shows three cars plowing into a group of pedestrians, with one of the vehicles pushing the other two deeper into the crowd before backing up into more people. 

It was not immediately clear if the collision was intentional. Police took the vehicle’s driver into custody. 

The collision followed a morning of violent clashes between far-right groups and counter-protesters, prompting Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe to declare a state of emergency. Police in riot gear ordered demonstrators to disperse as they marched onto the scene Saturday.

White nationalist, white supremacist and alt-right groups were initially scheduled to gather in Charlottesville’s Emancipation Park Saturday to protest the city’s decision to remove a Confederate statue there.

But as clashes broke out ahead of the so-called “Unite the Right” rally Saturday morning, police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, breaking up the event before it officially began.

University of Virginia Medical Center said that 20 people have been taken to the hospital, and one person has died. 

Updated at 4:17 p.m.