Torch-wielding protesters gather at Lee Park | Local | dailyprogress … – The Daily Progress

Several dozen torch-wielding protesters gathered in Charlottesvilles Lee Park just after 9 p.m. Saturday, chanting You will not replace us, Russia is our friend and Blood and soil.

After about 10 minutes, Charlottesville police arrived at the scene following an altercation between protesters. The crowd quickly dispersed with no further incidents, according to police.

In April, Charlottesville City Council voted to sell the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee that stands in the park, but a judge earlier this month issued an injunction that prevents the city from doing so for six months.

The city's decision has drawn considerable consternation from Southern heritage groups, Republican gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart and a number of others in Virginia and elsewhere.

Richard Spencer, a University of Virginia graduate and a white nationalist who popularized the term "alt-right," wrote about the events at the statues of Confederate Gens. Thomas Stonewall Jackson and Lee in several Twitter posts.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler, who led an unsuccessful attempt to oust City Councilor Wes Bellamy over an effort to remove the Lee statue, also posted about the event. Several photos posted by them appear to correspond to the scene as described by a Daily Progress reporter.

In a statement, Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer called the event "either profoundly ignorant or was designed to instill fear in our minority populations in a way that hearkens back to the days of the KKK. Either way, as mayor of this city, I want everyone to know this: we reject this intimidation. We are a welcoming city, but such intolerance is not welcome here."

On Twitter, Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, called the outrageous protests in Charlottesville this evening by apparent white supremacists unacceptable.

"Whoever these people were, the intolerance and hatred they seek to promote is utterly disgusting and disturbing beyond words," Erich Reimer, chairman of the Charlottesville Republican party, said in a statement. "This is a time for our community to come together on our common values of liberty, equality and justice for all, in stark contrast to them."

Police were unable to confirm exactly who or what groups were at the Lee and Jackson parks on Saturday.

In issuing an injunction blocking Charlottesville from selling the Lee statue, the judge, however, did not apply it to the citys plan to rename the Lee and Jackson parks. The city also will not be barred from initiating a master planning process to redesign the two historical districts where the parks are located.

The plan also includes a concept to build a new memorial in Jackson Park to those who were enslaved in the city.

In filing a lawsuit against the city's decision to sell the Lee statue, the plaintiffs a collection of local residents and the Virginia Division Sons of Confederate Veterans allege the citys vote to remove the statue violates a state law that protects war memorials.

The Monument Fund, a collection of the plaintiffs in the case, disavowed the demonstration and said it was not involved in it.

Elliott Harding, an attorney who is involved with the group and the litigants in the case against the city, confirmed in a text message that a statement posted from the Facebook page Save the Robert E. Lee Statue was issued by associates of The Monument Fund.

"Neither Save the Robert E. Lee Statue nor The Monument Fund were in any way involved in these events and only learned of them though media reports," the statement said.

"We remain committed to preserving the Robert E. Lee Monument in its park through the legal process in the courts because of its historic and artistic value.

"We soundly and completely reject racism, white supremacy, and any other identity based groups that preach division and hate no matter which side of the issue they happen to support."

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Torch-wielding protesters gather at Lee Park | Local | dailyprogress ... - The Daily Progress