Sending a powerful message to the violent, white supremacist marchers in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, counter-protesters overwhelmed alt-right Nazis with a message of unity.
The counter-protesters assembled on Saturday to fight back and tell the hate group, “Love has always won.”
Video:
“Love has! Love has! Love has always won!” as the Nazis march by #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/TcNt7yfw1E
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— Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) August 12, 2017
According to the ACLU of Virginia, the number of counter-protesters outnumbered those who participated in white supremacist marches:
Both sides of the barricades. Counter protesters seem to outnumber protesters. #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/rXNT5JtnWY
— ACLU of Virginia (@ACLUVA) August 12, 2017
More videos and pictures from Charlottesville show the two groups clashing and offering starkly different views of America:
Counter protesters singing, “over my head I hear justice in the air”. pic.twitter.com/pvNM4ZdYXi
— CBS19 ABC16 FOX27 (@Newsplex) August 12, 2017
They’re chanting “Blood and Soil” as they approach Lee Park in #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/2hPmJv9sq0
— Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) August 12, 2017
“@TheAnonJournal: Violence erupts #EmancipationPark between KKK members and counter-protesters in #Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/umieqKqyEi“
— Osama Bin Javaid (@osamabinjavaid) August 12, 2017
Watch a live stream of the counter-protest here
Today’s events came after hundreds of torch-wielding, alt-right Nazis descended on the University of Virginia late Friday, chanting phrases like, “White lives matter!” and “You will not replace us!”
Alt-right torch-bearers converge on Charlottesville and UVA. pic.twitter.com/tOKUj4Ese1
— Hawes Spencer (@HawesSpencer) August 12, 2017
In the age of Donald Trump, these are the types of hate groups that have been elevated and motivated. It’s why demonstrations like this have become increasingly common and hate crimes are rising across the country.
After all, if a president can publicly express his disdain for minority groups, then why shouldn’t the average Nazi be able to?
What the counter-protesters have shown, though, is that these white supremacist organizations – and the president who has emboldened them – are on the wrong side of history, and hatred will never win the day.
Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.