Charlottesville Recovering From Weekend Of Violent Protests

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, V.A. — Businesses reopened and residents returned to a part of town that was shut down Saturday amid the protests and violence on Saturday. Earlier Sunday, Jason Kessler – the white supremacist who helped organize the “Unite The Right” rally, held a press conference but was drowned out by protesters and was run off from his podium.

WCCB News @ Ten anchor Morgan Fogarty spoke with Charlottesville resident Jennifer Richardson, who says she has known Kessler for 10 years. Richardson says Kessler was a “staunch liberal” when they first met, but he has changed over the years into someone she doesn’t even recognize. Jennifer er thinks Kessler is just looking for somewhere to fit in, and says she regrets distancing herself and not engaging with him in a way that may have helped Jason not take the path that ultimately led to the events this weekend in Charlottesville.

Meantime, James Fields Jr. was held by Charlotteville police Sunday on suspicion of second-degree murder. Pictures posted online show Fields at the white nationalist rally Saturday before he drove a car through a crowd of counter-protesters, killing Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.

A formal vigil to remember Heather Heyer was scheduled for Sunday evening but was canceled due to credible threats. A Facebook Live vigil was then set up and also canceled due to further threats and safety issues.

Hundreds of people gathered in Charlotte’s Marshall Park Sunday evening for a vigil organized by Indivisible Charlotte to remember the victims and show solidarity with Charlottesville.