Charlottesville’s recent turmoil began when city leaders started a campaign to take down the statue of Robert E. Lee. It was a calculated campaign designed to cause racial conflict in the city, though most locals still have not comprehended that reality. City council was simpatico with the idea, and fell for the gambit. They voted 3-2 to take the statue down. Not surprisingly, opponents objected. Lawsuits followed. Conflict ensued. The initial salvo in the public conflict occurred on July 8, when the Ku Klux Klan exercised a legal permit to rally outside the courthouse. Spectators showed up to watch. Preachers showed up to redeem. Communists and radicals poured into the city and marched in the streets. A helicopter circled overhead. When the Klan arrived, the police escorted them into a cattle pen by the side of the courthouse. For the next hour, Klanners mostly just chatted among themselves while commies and radicals vented their hatred at the Klan. Then it was over. Police escorted the Klanners away. It took pepper spray and tear gas for the police to disperse the commies and radicals. More than twenty were arrested. It was mostly no harm, no foul, just a lot of words. As we see in the lede photo, Jesus made an appearance. Did he make a difference?
Gear Photos were shot with a Nikon D750 and a Zeiss Milvus 35 mm f/2.0.
