‘Unite the Right’ white nationalist rally in DC attracts few supporters, dwarfed by counterprotests

[Opinion: The alienation behind the madness of Unite the Right]

Further cementing the event as a wash, about an hour in thunderstorms rolled into the area and effectively ended the rally.

Hundreds of counter-protesters gathered to confront the small group of white nationalists at Lafayette and other nearby parks. The counter-protesters, including members of the leftist, anti-fascist antifa, Black Lives Matter, and immigrant rights groups, seemed to outnumber the white nationalists, reporters on the scene said.

Some signs spotted at the rally included ones that said, “Shut down white supremacy,” and “ALT RIGHT = AMERICAN ISIS”.

On the way out, counterprotesters, indentified by reporters as belonging to antifa, launched fireworks and threw eggs and water bottles at police who were escorting Kessler and his group.

[Related: CNN journalists criticize antifa protester for attacking NBC reporter at Charlottesville rally]

The first Unite the Right rally took place in August of last year in Charlottesville, organized to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Amid clashes between the white nationalist protesters and counterprotesters, one woman, counterprotester Heather Heyer, was killed when a self-identified neo-Nazi drove a vehicle into a crowd. Two Virginia state police officers, Lt. H. Jay Cullen III and Berke M.M. Bates, were also killed when their helicopter crashed while monitoring the event.

Authorities in Charlottesville did not respond proactively enough to the rally, an independent report commissioned by that city determined.

This time, D.C. and federal police were prepared for potential conflict.

In the early hours of the D.C. rally, the protesting groups did not spar, as they were forced to stay on opposite sides of the park, separated by metal fences.

Some analysts said the low attendance from supporters of the Unite the Right 2 rally should push media outlets to stop covering the event, rather than amplify a message carried by few.

“With only a couple dozen disorganized racists bothering to show up, #UniteTheRight2 is a total bust. @CNN and @MSNBC should briefly note the debacle and replace coverage of this nonevent with actual news,” said Errol Louis, a columnist at New York Daily News.

Ahead of the rally, President Trump, in a Twitter post, decried the “senseless death and division” showcased during the “riots in Charlottesville.”

“I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence,” Trump wrote. “Peace to ALL Americans!”

The comment contrasted in Trump’s much-criticized response a year ago, when he said “both sides” were responsible for the Charlottseville violence. But Democratic critics said Trump’s statement was still insufficient, because he did not single out white supremacy groups for condemnation.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser described ahead of the event her rationale for proactive response to the Unite the Right 2 rally, which included police prohibiting firearms, even licensed ones, from being within 1,000 feet of a First Amendment activity.

“Very, very few of our visitors share the views that will be expressed in Lafayette Park on Sunday,” Bowser, a Democrat, said at a press conference Thursday. “We have people coming to our city for the sole purpose of spewing hate. It didn’t make sense last year, and it doesn’t make sense now. … While we are opposed adamantly to what we are going to hear, we know what our responsibility is — to protect First Amendment events, to protect Washingtonians and to protect our city.”