After Charlottesville, McAuliffe Demands Investigation On Rally Permits

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—After a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville erupted into a violent clash with counter-protesters, Gov. Terry McAuliffe convened an emergency cabinet meeting Monday, discussing steps to combat hate and bolster public safety.

Three people died in events relating to the violence in Charlottesville. One of the victims was Heather Heyer, who died when a car driver plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters. Police say they have charged the driver of the car, 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., in the accident that also injured dozens.

A few hours later, a state police helicopter that had been helping to monitor Saturday's events crashed in a wooded area, killing Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va., and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Va.

McAuliffe is directing the state to investigate how communities issue rally permits. The city had granted a permit for Saturday's "Unite the Right" rally. Similarly, the city also allowed other white nationalist gatherings to take place in the city, including a torch-bearing march in May and a Ku Klux Klan protest in July. All protests centered around the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

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The state investigation will also look at how prepared law enforcement prepares for such rallies and how local, state and federal agencies coordinate. At the same time, McAuliffe commended Virginia State Police and National Guard for assisting the Charlottesville. "Without their extensive preparations and measured actions, we would be facing a far more grave situation today," McAuliffe said in a statement.

McAuliffe also announced the creation of a state commission made up of community organizations, faith leaders, and law enforcement to make policy recommendations promoting unity and safety.

Prior to the rally, the governor had urged people to stay away from Charlottesville, citing "extremist groups" that could become violent against rally attendees or police. Police had already declared an unlawful assembly before the white nationalist rally would have begun at noon Saturday. City officials wanted the rally to be held at a different location, citing safety concerns however a judge ruled that the rally must be allowed to take place at Emancipation Park.

"While we continue to grieve and support the families of those who lost their lives, we must learn from this tragic event to prevent a recurrence in our community or elsewhere," McAuliffe said in a statement.

Pictured is Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe addressing a news conference concerning the white nationalist rally and violence in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Image by Steve Helber/Associated Press