Vigils mourning the events in Charlottesville, Va. — protesting the racist, bigoted actions of members of the Alt-right — are happening all over the country. If you're wondering, can I attend a Charlottesville vigil — even if you're not in Charlottesville — the answer is yes. The Indivisible Guide has compiled a site called Stand in Solidarity with Charlottesville that allows you to enter your zip code to find a Charlottesville vigil near you.
Memorials and vigils have been ongoing since the evening of Aug. 12, and more are being added. Charlottesville, a city that overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election, was the site of what the Southern Poverty Law Center called the "largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades" to take place in the United States. The SPLC made this declaration six days before the planned "Unite the Right" rally, and predicted that violence was a foregone conclusion.
"The looming social chemistry on a hot summer weekend — 115 miles from Washington, D.C. — seems to point to the clear possibility of violence," Bill Morlin wrote for the SPLC on Aug. 7. Additionally, the SPLC's President Richard Cohen accused President Donald Trump, who refused to publicly denounce white supremacy during his Aug. 12 press conference, of escalating racial tensions in the U.S.
If you want to attend a vigil to stand in solidarity against hate, the Indivisible Guide lets you find a Charlottesville vigil near you, and if you can't locate one, you can register your own Charlottesville Vigil.
"This weekend, hate groups and domestic terrorists of all stripes went to Charlottesville, Va., to push their hateful message of white supremacy, fascism, anti-Semitism, and bigotry," Stand in Solidarity with Charlottesville, which is partnering with dozens of other anti-hate groups, said on its website.
"When they got there they waged violence on unarmed anti-racists, killing one and injuring many others. We mourn for the life that was lost, and we will honor all those under attack by congregating against hate in our own communities."
Additionally, you can also type "Charlottesville vigil" into Facebook's search toolbar to locate events near you. Dozens of Charlottesville vigils are currently listed in Facebook events. If you are unable to physically attend a vigil, a virtual Charlottesville vigil hosted by Occupy Disabled has been set up on Facebook from Aug. 13-27. The page asks participants to light candles in their homes, and use the virtual event space as a safe place to communicate with one another.
A makeshift memorial has popped up at the site of the crash that killed 32-year-old Heather D. Heyer who was peacefully protesting the Alt-right's "Unite the Right" rally. A Go Fund Me page has been set up in Heyer's honor to assist her family.
