How America's Happiest City Has Become a Warfield

Thomas Jefferson's home and one of the best places to live in the USA, Charlottesville lived a nightmare last weekend. Understand

She was home to the third American president, Thomas Jefferson, and voted the happiest city in the United States , Charlottesville, Virginia, has about 50,000 inhabitants and is packed with the motto "an incredible place for all Our citizens ".

Last weekend, however, the city found itself in the middle of an unexpected hurricane after its streets were taken by the racist march "Unite the Right" and that gathered thousands of white supremacists of different movements, As the new "alt-right" and the group that is already an old acquaintance of the Americans, Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

The protest, however, quickly turned the city into a wartime camp after violent clashes erupted between those demonstrators and opponents. So far, three people have died and 20 have been injured as a result of the violence. The situation was so chaotic that the governor of Virginia, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, declared a state of emergency.

At the center of the controversy is a statue. More specifically, a memory memorial of Robert E. Lee, general who led the Confederate States during the American Civil War and became a symbol of the defense of slavery and racism.

Raised in 1924, the landmark has its retreat discussed in the city since last year. The question, of course, came with much controversy. In February 2017, local authorities voted in favor of this removal, but received in response a lawsuit filed by opponents that has not yet been finalized.

Since then, defenders of the monument have been trying to organize a march to ensure their stay in the park. The city tried unsuccessfully to block the demonstration, but its organizers were able to secure their realization in court by invoking the defense of freedom of expression provided in the first amendment of the American constitution.

Repercussion

On Saturday, the president spoke about the incidents in Virginia, but was criticized for not condemning the supremacist groups. The criticism came from all sides, Republicans and Democrats, and made the president back in his rhetoric and make a new statement pointing the finger directly to those involved.

On the side of the protestors, one of the organizers of the demonstration, Jason Kessler, blamed city officials for the violence. "The blame for the violence lies mainly with the officers of Charlottesville and the police who failed to maintain law and order, protect the rights of the First Amendment of the marchers and ensure their safety."