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Celebrities, public figures express horror, outrage in response to Charlottesville rally

By Gwendolyn Purdom

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At least one person died and many more were injured Saturday in violence that erupted where a white nationalist rally was planned in Charlottesville, Virginia. On social media, activists, celebrities, and public figures spoke out.

The chilling images that emerged from a Friday night gathering of white nationalists on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Va. were like something out of a horrifying movie. But the torch-wielding crowd was real, and on Saturday the already-violent event turned deadly. Hours after Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency at the request of Virginia State Police on Saturday morning, a speeding car plowed into a group of counterprotesters,  killing one person and injuring 19. According to CNN, the driver, who has not been named publicly yet, was taken into custody.

Amplifying the already-appalling chain of events, President Donald Trump’s initial delay in speaking out against the violence, paired with his eventual vague response that referred to “bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides” angered many. As a large number of prominent white nationalists have been vocal in their support of the president, many accused Trump of trying to address the news without upsetting that faction of his supporters.

Other politicians, activists, and celebrities, however, were quick to condemn the violence, and the president’s response to it, on social media.

Charlottesville mayor Mike Signer posted several tweets regarding Saturday’s events, expressing both his horror at the unfolding violence and his gratitude for words and displays of support flooding into the city:

In Washington, politicians on both sides of the aisle released statements throughout the day Saturday:

Celebrities and other public figures weighed in, too:

Next: Twitter round up: Celebrities respond to the transgender ban

This is a developing story with fallout sure to continue throughout the weekend and beyond.

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