Page 21 - Counterprotesters News Today

Federal hate crime charges. he was already convicted in state court for murdering heather heyer after plowing his car into a crowd of counterprotesters in august of 2017. he plead not guilty in the first trial and the federal trial as well. so why has he changed his plea? kyra phillips leads us off. >> reporter: tonight, the guilty plea to 29 hate crimes in federal court. prosecutors said that james alex fields rammed his car into counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old heather heyer, and injurin...

Heather heyer lost her life to a neo-nazi who plowed his car into a group of counter-protesters who were protesting people coming into their community and doing things and saying things that go against the founding principles of this country. thats why i am not surprised that president trump did not take the opportunity to make things right and to say things that are healing. he didnt do it in charlottesville. i wasnt waiting for it in response to what happened in new zealand. >> john, you know,...

Workers that doesnt seem to have anything to do with congress. >> i dont think he was saying -- i didnt hear him call for action. he said look, these are peaceful people. i hope they stay peaceful. thats what he said in the quote, the direct quote. >> saying "i hope you stay peaceful" doesnt necessarily mean. why even say that? whats the -- whats the concern that the police or like, you know, the construction workers. >> or construction workers or anybody? i guess he is saying you leave a trump ...

>> saying "i hope you stay peaceful" doesnt necessarily mean. why even say that? whats the -- whats the concern that the police or like, you know, the construction workers. >> or construction workers or anybody? i guess he is saying you leave a trump rally and there are antifa outside or counterprotesters outside like there are at many trump rallies, i hope you remain peaceful. >> joe? >> i dont think so. i think if you look at the broadest context of what he has talked about from the very begin...

Anti-semitism. >> laura: i want to play something for you, sarah. there were counterprotesters who got into the faces of the rabbi and his group. lets watch. >> defend the right -- >> you say -- islamic phobia. >> why dont you -- [chanting -- no islam know feel yeah] >> laura: ive been tangling with her for decades. >> shes absolutely disgusting. she also visited iran and sat with iranian leaders and placated to iran just recently. so they have no business, i guess they have the right to go out ...

More than 1,000 counter protesters met them in the streets. police lost control. and the governor declared a state of emergency. >> its 2017, how can you hate number that you dont even know? [ screaming and crashing of cars >> a lot of people got hit. a lot of people got hit. >> at 1:40 p.m. nazi sympathizer rammed his dodge challenger in to a crowd of peaceful counter protesters. >> this is why we didnt want them here! this is why we did not want them here! >> when it was all over, 19 people we...

And some are mothers of young children. the womens march alliance based in new york claimed the national group out of d.c. demanded some of its board members be placed on the planning committee. that d.c. group was looked at as one was linked to an anti-semitic figure. and they promise the goals are in solidarity. the march is more necessary bus we cant be complacent. we cant say were one in five in congress. we need five in five in congress before we get complacent. >> there have been some coun...

To intentionally mow down a crowd of anti-hate demonstrators, killing 32-year-old heather heyer. >> alt-right websites claimed james alex fields isnt a murderer, hes a martyr, forced to flee a crowd of violent protesters heavy. >> the nationalist community defended ourselves against thugs. >> two self proclaimed white nationalists began screaming at the police and media that counterprotesters were to blame for saturdays violence. >> its an all part of a culture of victimhood white supremacists u...

>> im really happy for you, pan, im proud of you. youve made a ton of progress. i have to be honest, im also concerned. since we started working together, gabe has severed ties with the hammerskins but i found out just a few months ago he marched in the largest white power rally in more than a decade. >> jews will not replace us! jews will not replace us! >> revving up them ovens, boys, woo! >> 500 white supremacists descended on the small college town of charlotteville, virginia. >> white lives...

Today a jury recommended a life sentence for the white nationalist convicted of killing 32-year-old heather heyer. nearly 40 others were seriously injured after james fields jr. plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters at a unite the right rally in charlottesville, virginia, last year. fields actions and the images of white nationalists marching with torches stunned and shocked the nation. now racial rhetoric and hate crimes are becoming all too common. cnns sara sidner has this update o...