The governor of Virginia has declared a state of emergency for the anniversary of the Charlottesville protests.
Hate Crimes
James Alex Fields Jr., 21, was indicted on 30 counts, including a hate crime act that resulted in Heyer’s death, after driving his car into a crowd of protesters in the town and raming into Heyer.“Last summer’s violence in Charlottesville cut short a promising young life and shocked the nation. Today’s indictment should send a clear message to every would-be criminal in America that we aggressively prosecute violent crimes of hate that threaten the core principles of our nation.”
Besides Heyer’s death, 35 people were injured.
State of Emergency
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and the City of Charlottesville announced on Aug. 8, a state of emergency for the state and city for Aug. 10, 11, and 12.Northam noted that multiple events are planned for the weekend and that the state of emergency will make it easier for law enforcement to plan crowd control and other operations.
“I am urging Virginians to make alternative plans to engaging with planned demonstrations of hate, should those arise. Declaring this state of emergency in advance of the anniversary and the related planned events will help us ensure that the state and the city have all available resources to support emergency responders in case they are needed.”
The state of emergency enables a range of state agencies to deploy to Charlottesville and northern Virginia, according to the governor’s office. In addition, it activates the Virginia Emergency Operations Center to coordinate state resources and allocates $2 million to pay for the response.
Ban on Weapons and Masks
The city said in a press release that a number of items, such as pellet guns, poles, and knives, are banned from the downtown area for the weekend. The long list includes a variety of items that could be used as weapons.However, firearms will not be banned, according to Charlottesville Police Chief RaShall Brackney.
“[Handguns] are not on that list; we have to honor your Second Amendment rights,” Brackney said, reported The Daily Progress. “This has its challenges.”
Law enforcement officials will also be enforcing a state law that prohibits people from wearing masks in certain places.