In Massive 'Outpouring of Solidarity,' Thousands Rally for Charlottesville

A vigil is held in downtown Philadelphia on August 13, 2017 in support of the victims of violence at the 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend. (Photo: Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images)

In Massive 'Outpouring of Solidarity,' Thousands Rally for Charlottesville

"Tonight, we mourn. Tomorrow, we continue to fight, harder than ever."

Thousands of Americans in cities across the country rallied Sunday night to denounce the racism displayed at the so-called "Unite the Right" rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, and to mourn the death of Heather Heyer, an activist who was killed Saturday during an anti-racist demonstration.

"This attack is a reminder of the nation's darkest heritage; the outpouring of solidarity following is a reminder of its best."
--Ben Wikler, MoveOn.org
James Alex Fields Jr.--who was charged with second-degree murder after he plowed his car into a crowd of demonstrators, killing Heyer and injuring around two dozen others--has been characterized by one of his former teachers as a Nazi sympathizer.

Following the deadly attack, activist groups mobilized rapidly, planning vigils and "Solidarity with Charlottesville" events throughout the nation. According to a map Indivisible shared with Vox, nearly 700 events were scheduled in a matter of hours.

(Image credit: Indivisible)

"This is a moment when we need to demonstrate that we as a nation have the capacity to stand together in the face of hate," Ben Wikler, Washington director of MoveOn.org, told Vox's Jeff Stein.

"Just as Trump's election led to the women's march, this white supremacist terror is sparking a nationwide outpouring based on the idea that we can build a democracy of shared religions and shared races," Wikler added. "This attack is a reminder of the nation's darkest heritage; the outpouring of solidarity following is a reminder of its best."

Demonstrations are set to continue on Monday, with events planned at the Capitol and outside Trump Tower in New York City.

Here is a glimpse at some of the events that took place on Sunday.

Philadelphia

New York City

Charlotte, North Carolina

Tuscon, Arizona

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Portland, Maine

Join Us: News for people demanding a better world


Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place.

We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference.

Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today!

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.