Anti-protesters boo far-right demonstrators in Washington

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03:18

Thousands of anti-protesters gathered in several locations in central Washington, DC, Sunday afternoon, hours before a controversial right supremacist rally was scheduled.

The protesters gathered in Lafayette Park, just across the street from the White House, and the Freedom Plaza, just blocks away.

The gathering in the US capital was to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly Charlottesville protest, during which a white supremacist killed a female anti-protester, sparking nationwide furor.

To prevent potential conflict, Washington law enforcement came onto the street in force to maintain order. An entire section of Pennsylvania Ave. adjacent to the White House was sealed off.

Demonstrators opposed to a far-right rally ignore the rain and hold signs at Lafayette Park opposite the White House in Washington, DC, US, August 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

One year after Charlottesville: America further divided under Trump's presidency

Organizers of the far right rally, officially named "United the Right 2," claim their purpose was to advocate "White civil rights," but were slammed as promoting racism and xenophobia.

About 400 white supremacists were expected to gather outside the White House on Sunday. However, by 4:00 p.m. local time, only dozens of them emerged and marched through Washington, DC, accompanied by huge boos from crowded counterprotesters separated by heavy police presence.

Anti-protesters held up signs denouncing racism, fascism and calling for pluralism, and at time broke out in chants.

Counterprotesters line the street at Lafayette Square Park with the White House in the background in Washington, DC, US, August 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

"Go home, Nazis," "Shame," counterprotesters yelled at the far-right demonstrators, some of them hiding their faces with masks, bags or flags.

Debbie Wagner, an anti protester from the neighboring state of Maryland, told Xinhua that she was shocked by the tragedy in Charlottesville last year, and found many around her have become more politically vocal in the past year.

"White supremacism is a terrible thing, I hope America can continue to be a place of diversity," she said.

Police escort far-right demonstrators during a rally at Lafayette Park opposite the White House in Washington, DC, US, August 12, 2018. /VCG Photo

Last summer's "Unite the Right" rally in historic Charlottesville, held on August 12 to protest US cities taking down Confederate statues, attracted national attention when white supremacists, fascists and neo-Nazis violently clashed with counterprotesters.

A 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 others were injured when an Ohio man associated with white nationalist groups allegedly drove a car into the crowd of counter-protesters.

US President Donald Trump drew a firestorm of criticism last year following the deadly when he said "both sides" were to blame for the violence.

04:19

Kay Wright Lewis, an assistant history professor at Howard University, told CGTN that there is a belief among some Americans that "whites have been marginalized" as other groups get equal opportunities.

"No group is being marginalized – certainly white Americans are not being marginalized by other groups also having opportunities," she stressed.

Lewis expressed her disappointment in the Trump administration's handling of racial issues. "I'm disappointed that our leadership is not standing firm in this truce," she said, criticizing US politicians for "using fear to make people afraid of other groups" and "people who have other religions." This is putting the country backward rather than forward, she added.

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Source(s): Xinhua News Agency