'We condemn the far right!' May & Merkel weigh in on deadly violence at Virginia rally
Charlottesville, a city in Virginia, has been hit by days of unrest after an alt-right group clashed with counter demonstrators on Saturday. Blood ran through the streets after the protests turned violent, with James Alex Fields Jr, a 20-year-old from Ohio, allegedly ploughing a Dodge Challenger into crowds at 40mph. Now the Prime Minister has hit out at the violent protestors and their controversial beliefs. A spokesman for Mrs May said: “We are very clear... we condemn racism, hatred and violence. We condemn the far right."
GETTY The Prime Minister has hit out at protestors in Virginia as the unrest continues
However, he refused to be drawn on reports of anger towards President Trump’s reaction to the unrest. Mr Trump condemned the violence but came under fire for blaming it on the “hatred and bigotry on many sides”. Some critics accused him of shying away from specifically naming far-Right groups in his statement. But a White House spokesman dismissed the allegation and said: “The President said very strongly that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred.
GETTY Victims were carried away on stretchers after a car ploughed through demonstrators on Saturday
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has offered her sympathies to those affected by the violence. Spokesman Steffen Seibert said: "Her thoughts are with the family and friends of the woman, and also with the wounded, who we hope will all fully recover. "It was a show of racism, undisguised and in the worst way, anti-Semitism, hatred. And it is always repugnant wherever such images and such chants appear." He added that the federal government shows "solidarity with those who stand peacefully against such aggressive, right-wing extremist attitudes."
EPA The fatal clashes have made headlines across the world
“Of course that includes white supremacists, Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazi, and all extremist groups. He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.” In response to Mr Trump's comments, Mrs May’s spokesman said: "What the President says is a matter for him.” Yesterday, Mr Fields was charged with murder, malicious wounding and failing to stop after a fatal car crash. The 20-year-old, from Maumee, Ohio, was a member of the Republican Party, it was reported yesterday.