A white nationalist has been fired after he was named and shamed on social media for his involvement in the deadly Neo-Nazi Charlottesville rally.
Nineteen people were injured, and one killed, in a car-ramming incident on Saturday at the ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia – 15 people were wounded in separate clashes related to the far-right march, attended by KKK members, white supremacists and Neo-Nazis.
Among the crowds was Cole White, who was subsequently identified by Twitter user @Yes, You’re Racist:
White’s employer, the Berkeley Top Dog restaurant, has since publicly announced the alleged white supremacist has lost his job.
A spokesman told reporters inquiring about White they would be releasing a full statement tomorrow but, ‘for now, we feel it is imperative to let you know that Cole White is no longer employed by Top Dog, LLC’.
The Twitter feed has also ‘outed’ a number of other participants in the rally:
Violence originally broke out when white supremacists and members of the far right clashed with anti-fascist counter-protesters at the Unite the Right Rally, which was organised to protest the removal of a statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E Lee.
Anti-racism protesters attended to condemn the swastika-toting display of Confederate flags and nazi-salutes, brazenly showcased by those in KKK robes.
Meanwhile, President, Donald Trump, has been widely criticised by both Democrats and Republicans for not explicitly condemning the White Supremacists and their transparent racism.
Hours after the violence erupted, Mr Trump said he condemned ‘in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides’, adding:
The hate and the division must stop right now. We have to come together as Americans with love for our nation.
Neo-Nazis have since praised President Trump for his lax response to racist violence, which seemed to place blame at the door of the peaceful anti-fascist protesters.
Elsewhere on Twitter, users have profoundly pointed out their grandparents fought Nazism overseas so our generation didn’t have to, condemning the actions of American racists:
Meanwhile former President Barack Obama has shared a message of peace, unity and acceptance that has resounded across social media.
He wrote:
The woman killed in the car attack allegedly carried out by James Alex Fields Jr has been identified as 32-year-old Charlottesville resident, Heather D. Heyer.
Our thoughts are with all affected by the tragic, divisive and hateful events.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.