A “state of emergency” has been declared in Charlottesville as the “Unite the Right” rally descends into chaos

The Ku Klux Klan protests on July 8, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. The KKK is protesting the planned removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee, and calling for the protection of Southern Confederate monuments. (Photo by Chet Strange/Getty Images)

Tensions at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, boiled over on Saturday as right-wing groups clashed with protesters and police. The Director of Emergency Management in the city, Douglas Walker, signed an edict declaring a “local emergency” in the city. Later, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a “state of emergency,” making gatherings unlawful. While most of the crowds have dwindled away from Emancipation Park, which was the original site of the clash, the rival groups have not completely dispersed.

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On Friday night, a crowd of white supremacists, neo-Nazis and like-minded thinkers marched through the city carrying tiki torches. While there were some incidents of violence in that march, it was mostly peaceful.

There were a number of confrontations, but while many of the protesters were armed with assault rifles, no shots have been fired. Police have made several arrests, but the exact number has not been released.

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House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted that the “views fueling the spectacle are repugnant.” A large number of the alt-right protesters were armed with shields bearing the Detroit Red Wings logo. In a statement, the Red Wings said, “[We] vehemently disagree and are not associated in any way with the event taking place today in Charlottesville.” Former Klan leader David Duke was at the rally and stated that the event will “fulfill the promises of Donald Trump.”

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