Understandably so, the people of Charlottesville are on edge after a man identified as James Alex Fields Jr. used his car to ram into a group of protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 30 others.
Subsequently, two police officers were killed in a helicopter accident that were responding to the chaos at the “Unite the Right” rally last Saturday. The rally was the subject of controversy over the Robert E. Lee statue, with many civil rights groups and liberal activists wanting it removed, while others claim it is part of their cultural heritage.
Robert E. Lee was 'the greatest American that ever lived'
One of those people in favor of keeping the Robert E. Lee statue is Allen Armentrout, according to WIJA. From the WIJA Twitter account, you can see Armentrout with his rifle, a Confederate Flag hoisted over his shoulder, and in one picture, Armentrout is seen saluting the statue of Robert E. Lee.
Armentrout told WIJA that he believes Robert E Lee was “the greatest American that ever lived.” Armentrout’s presence and his staunch support for the statue drew the ire of a group of people that were visiting the park on Tuesday. Several people shouted at Armentrout, who told WIJA that he is not affiliated with any racist associations and does not support the Alt-right movement.
He told a reporter from WIJA, Jeff Goldberg, that he came from North Carolina to show his respect for the Robert E. Lee statue. One woman can be seen holding her middle finger inches away from Armentrout’s face, and another man is seen shouting at him to leave. Armentrout was called a “racist,” and another man yelled, “terrorist, go home.”
According to WIJA, Armentrout told a local resident that he is not a racist, and that "the lord says we should love all." However, the group of protesters weren’t hearing his explanation.
After a short time of demanding that Armentrout leave, the Charlottesville police department arrived and escorted him out of the park.
Groups demand the removal of Confederate memorials
James Alex Fields Jr., the man accused of what people are calling a “terrorist attack,” was arrested and is being held without bail, according to NBC news.
The tragedy that took place in Charlottesville over the weekend has drawn a lot of debate, especially over confederate-themed statues and flags being left up throughout the country. The Council on American-Islamic Relations released a press release Monday, calling for all Confederate memorials to be removed in the U.S.
