As the rally and protests erupted in violence Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, an unidentified group of white supremacists attacked and beat a black man with poles in a parking garage.
Nation of Change writer and photographer Zach D. Roberts captured various photos of the hatred-filled violence in the city throughout the weekend — including the attack on the black man who hasn't been identified — and posted them on social media.
Earlier in a parking garage in #Charlottesville – white supremacists beat this black kid w/poles. [Photo for by @zdroberts
@NationofChange] pic.twitter.com/LLPBPjb8si— Zach D Roberts (@zdroberts) August 12, 2017
Looking at the photo, it seems police were not in the area to help the victim and stop the attack. Since the violence started Friday night during a march through the University of Virginia campus, the constant question "where are the police" resonated throughout social media. One Twitter user even pointed out that the parking garage where the attack took place was within walking distance of the local police station.
Where are all the police in the riots? Where are they? America is fucked up. Donald trump is fucked up. Everything in this country is fucked
— ???????? (@trejoyeseniaa) August 13, 2017
They beat this man literally right next to the police station but there were 0 cops present to keep these people in line. #Charlottesville
pic.twitter.com/w8Tuc9ngvT— Black Aziz Ansari ???? (@Freeyourmindkid) August 13, 2017
So where are the police, state troopers… so it is ok to have a riot as long as you not Brown,BLACK,or… https://t.co/mK0hSqOIU4
— Dray Fields (@DrayInTheCity) August 13, 2017
Remember this? I sure as hell do. Where are the police and their riot gear now?!? #Charlottesville
pic.twitter.com/mAIhGgrcDQ— ???????????????????????????????????? (@djboots72) August 12, 2017
#AMJoy Where are the police in #Charlottesville??? Nazi riot happening, they're throwing bottles at _police_ and nothing happening to them??
— Becky (@beckythecyclist) August 12, 2017
Where's the tear gas? Where are the police trying to stop them? WHY CAN WHITE MEN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING https://t.co/yGwBDPa5er
— ♡owen♡ (@xowenm) August 12, 2017
The attack is one of many that occurred Saturday, Aug. 12 during what was supposed to be the Unite the Right rally organized by white supremacists protesting the city's planned removal of a Confederate statue of General Robert E. Lee.
The violence in Charlottesville continued to escalate throughout Saturday. During the early afternoon, a 20-year-old alleged terrorist plowed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters and marchers, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.
The Charlottesville Police Department arrested James Alex Fields Jr. shortly after the car attack. Fields is being held without bond and being charged for second-degree murder, malicious wounding and failure to stop in an accident that resulted in death. By the end of the weekend, more than 30 people had been injured in the rallies and two Virginia State Police Officers died in a helicopter crash, although authorities say the crash was not the result of foul play.