Fitzhugh and Fogel make first court appearances

Activist Veronica Fitzhugh and commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel both appeared in court this morning for their respective assault charges, accompanied by dozens of supporters. The brief 10am hearing was over before some people could get through security and into the courtroom. Fogel represents Fitzhugh, who was charged May 31 with assault and disorderly conduct stemming […]

Miller’s time: Candidate arrested in mall shout-down

Commonwealth’s attorney candidate Jeff Fogel was arrested in the wee hours today when five police cars came to his house following an alleged assault earlier in the evening outside Miller’s on the Downtown Mall. That was where the latest confrontation between whites-righter Jason Kessler and Showing Up for Racial Justice took place after Kessler dined at […]

Kumbaya moments at Lee Park—sort of

Charlottesville religious leaders staged a counterprotest this morning at Lee Park in anticipation of a gathering of Confederate supporters that didn’t happen. And when two foes met amid the hymns and prayers, all was not forgiven. According to a press release, the Confederates were supposed to be at the park at 10am. Members of the […]

Tactical change: Not your grandpa’s protest

In images from the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s, African-Americans in their Sunday best peacefully protested, and when violence occurred, it came from police or from virulent racists. Those are not the optics of today’s demonstrations. Instead, protesters knock cell phones out of people’s hands, blast them with bullhorns, block filming with […]

WANTED: An attorney for Kessler

  Jason Kessler appeared in Charlottesville General District Court today for a disorderly conduct charge related to his presence in Lee Park last Sunday, when he allegedly disobeyed officers’ commands to leave the park and incited the crowd with a bullhorn. The right-wing blogger told the judge he’s having trouble finding an attorney to represent […]

Lee Park scene of white nationalist demonstration, counterprotest

A group led by UVA grad Richard Spencer, head of the white nationalist National Policy Institute, converged on Charlottesville Saturday and held a tiki-torch procession that evening that sparked a candlelit counter protest Sunday, along with denunciations from Mayor Mike Signer, Delegate David Toscano and the local Republican party chair. The event thrust Charlottesville into […]

Kessler makes back-to-back court appearances

Blogger and antifa resister Jason Kessler’s weekend was bookended by dates in the Charlottesville General District Court, one in which he claims he’s the victim, another in which he was sentenced for assault. On Friday, May 5, a special prosecutor was named and a court date set to hear Kessler’s charge against Sara Tansey for […]

Still angry: Kessler pleads guilty to assault charge

Jason Kessler, the right-wing blogger who unsuccessfully petitioned to remove Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy from office, pleaded guilty today to punching a man while gathering petition signatures, but challenged the victim’s statements outside the Charlottesville General District Court. In the same court March 3, the prosecution asked the judge to dismiss with prejudice an assault complaint […]

In Brief: Members only, additional candidates emerge and more

More candidates emerge Charlottesville School Board member Amy Laufer announced a run for City Council February 27, and former Albemarle School Board chair Ned Gallaway wants the Democratic nomination for Albemarle’s Rio seat. BOS Chair Diantha McKeel seeks a second term representing the Jack Jouett District. And Angela Lynn again will challenge Weyers Cave Delegate […]