Violent alt-left: Trump on white nationalist rally, Charlottesville
It may have taken him 48 hours, but Donald Trump has finally commented on the white nationalist rally which took place in Charlottesville, Virginia over the weekend.
One protestor, Heather Heyer, lost her life in the violence after a car sped into the crowd. Up to 19 others were injured.
The POTUS defended the white supremacists who rallied in protest of the removal of a statue of Robert E Lee, a confederate general.
Condolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia. So sad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017
'Not all of those people were neo-Nazis, believe me, not all of those people were white supremacists,' he said in a press conference this morning.
'You also had people that were very fine people on both sides' he said, when asked about the violence.
He also criticised the 'alt-left' for participating in the rally, saying that they 'came violently attacking the other group.'
'What about the alt-left, that came charging at the, as you say, the alt-right? Do they have any semblance of guilt? What about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands, do they have any problem? I think they do.'
Made additional remarks on Charlottesville and realize once again that the #Fake News Media will never be satisfied…truly bad people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017
He also supported the cause of the protest of the white nationalists, saying: 'This week, it is Robert E. Lee and this week, Stonewall Jackson.'
'Is it George Washington next week and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You have to ask yourself, where does it stop?'
He referred to the journalists at the press conference as 'fake news' rather than addressing them individually.
