GOP senator denounces white nationalist rally

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) spoke out against a widely-covered white nationalist rally in Virginia in a message posted on Twitter Friday night.

Hatch retweeted a video posted by reporter Alejandro Alvarez that shows dozens of white men chanting “blood and soil” at a protest that broke out ahead of a planned Saturday demonstration in Charlottesville, Va. on Friday night.

The senator added his own caption that taunted the crowd for using citronella tiki torches while condemning the message of hate.

“Their tiki torches may be fueled by citronella but their ideas are fueled by hate, & have no place in civil society,” Hatch wrote.

Their tiki torches may be fueled by citronella but their ideas are fueled by hate, & have no place in civil society. https://t.co/himqTMBQnH

— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) August 12, 2017

Police dispersed the crowd of hundreds just before midnight, declaring an “unlawful assembly” on the University of Virginia campus after at least one counter-protester attacked several in the crowd. The New York Times reported that at least one person was led away in handcuffs.

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Photos and video of the protests posted on social media showed protesters marching and chanting slogans including “white lives matter” and “you will not replace us.” 

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer called the gathering “a cowardly parade of hatred, bigotry, racism, and intolerance.”

“Everyone has a right under the First Amendment to express their opinion peaceably, so here’s mine: not only as the Mayor of Charlottesville, but as a UVA faculty member and alumnus, I am beyond disgusted by this unsanctioned and despicable display of visual intimidation on a college campus,” he said.