On August 12, 2017, as many as 1,000 neo-fascists, armed with assault rifles, shields, clubs and torches, clashed with anti-fascist counter protestors in the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia. DeAndre Harris, a special education assistant at a high school, was severely beaten by four men wearing neo-Nazi insignia.
Later, after police declared an unlawful assembly, James Alex Fields, Jr. drove his car at high speed into a crowd of counter-protestors, killing Heather Heyer and wounding 19 others. Organizers of the far-right rally, including white nationalist Jason Kessler, declared the Charlottesville a victorious show of force and promised to bring similar rallies to other cities.
Spencer Sunshine studies white supremacist and white nationalist groups as an associate with far-right watchdog Political Research Associates. Spencer Sunshine joins Eight O’Clock Buzz host, Brian Standing now by phone.
CORRECTION: In the audio portion of this podcast, Eight O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing incorrectly identifies a Charlottesville neo-Nazi beating victim as journalist DeAndre Lewis. The victim’s correct identity and vocation is DeAndre Harris, a special education assistant at a high school.