Violence Erupts at California White Nationalist Rally

Sacramento, CA — At least 10 people were injured and some stabbed at a White Nationalist rally in California when counter-protesters with a local anti-fascist organization clashed with members of the Traditionalist Worker Party.

The Sacramento Fire Department said on Sunday that a total of seven people were taken to the hospital, and some of the victims were said to have "critical trauma stab wounds." Spokesman Chris Harvey told the Associated Press nine men and one woman were treated for cuts, scrapes, stab wounds and bruises.

In a statement late Sunday night, Sacramento Police said authorities had been made aware of the counter-protest effort and had deployed more than 100 officers from different specialty units in anticipation for potential unrest.

Police said the violence escalated quickly during the course of the protest and officers had to physically intervene to stop anyone else from being injured. Most of the violent altercations took place on State Capitol grounds, which are under the jurisdiction of the California Highway Patrol. At least two assaults reported on city grounds are being investigated by police.

A loaded handgun located on State Capitol grounds was turned over to police and booked as evidence.

The Traditionalist Worker Party had been granted a permit to hold the rally on Capitol grounds from noon to 2 p.m. By around 2:25 p.m., a picture posted by the Sacramento Fire Department showed protesters had cleared the area.

No arrests have been made, and all those who were injured are expected to survive.

Streets around the capitol had been shut down for the protest.

ABC-10 reporter Frances Wang captured a video of the clash. (Warning, the video contains graphic content and strong language)

Video posted by Fox reporter Sara Zendehnam showed a window at one entrance of the Capitol had been shattered. Police in riot gear were reportedly patrolling the area.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson issued the following statement.

The Traditionalist Worker Party believes in "ethnic consciousness" and "traditionalism."

Matthew Heimbach, the founder of the party, posted a picture to Twitter Sunday with the caption, "just some of our brave comrades preparing to march today in California. Hail the TWP and GSS. United, we will win!"

Heimbach shoved a black woman at a Trump rally in April and screamed at her to leave. He reportedly identified himself as the man who pushed the woman in a video posted online, the Washington Post reported.

“White Americans are getting fed up and they’re learning that they must either push back or be pushed down,” he wrote online. (Warning: The video contains content some might find upsetting)

The Traditionalist Worker Party made the following post to Facebook after the rally.

In February, three people were stabbed at a planned KKK rally in Anaheim when a clash took place between protesters and counter-protesters and a "melee" erupted on the block. A total of 12 people were arrested as a result of the incident.

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Image Credit: Fox 40 reporter Sara Zendehnam @szendehnam