Donald Trump condemns ‘hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides’ after Charlottesville protest

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Saturday condemned violence that erupted between white nationalists and counter-demonstrators on Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf course.

0:32 Video shows car ramming into protesters

• Video shows car ramming into protesters
• Car rams into protesters at white nationalists rally in Charlottesville
• Protesters violently clash in Charlottesville
• Clashes break out ahead of nationalist rally in Charlottesville
• Violence breaks out the night before Virginia city braces for white nationalist rally

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Violence erupted between white nationalists and counter-demonstrators over the fate of a monument that honors a hero of the Civil War that ended slavery. One person was killed.

Earlier in the afternoon, Trump issued a pair of tweets which also appeared to address the situation.

“We must ALL be united & condemn all that hate stands for,” Trump wrote in a Twitter message. “There is no place for this kind of violence in America.”

Trump later added.

Officials had approved the protest march in downtown Charlottesville but cancelled the event and declared a state of emergency after outbreaks of violence.

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Following Trump’s original message, Vice President Mike Pence said he was standing with Trump against “hate & violence”.

Trump’s wife Melania also issued a tweet on the violence in Charlottesville.

With files from Global News’ Kevin Nielsen