Organisers of White Nationalist Rally in Virginia, Driver Sued for $3 Million

White nationalist leader Matthew Heimbach screams at the media outside Charlottesville General Courthouse in defense of James Alex Fields Jr.  (REUTERS/Justin Ide)
White nationalist leader Matthew Heimbach screams at the media outside Charlottesville General Courthouse in defense of James Alex Fields Jr. (REUTERS/Justin Ide)
The driver faces several charges, including second degree murder

Two people who say they were injured in a far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia sued the man charged with killing a woman by driving his car through the crowd as well as the event’s organizers on Tuesday for $3 million.

Tadrint Washington and Micah Washington said in papers filed in Charlottesville circuit court that they had been among the people hurt when James Alex Fields drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one.

They had been driving home and their car was struck by Fields car, and some of his pedestrian victims were also hurled onto their vehicle, the lawsuit said.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, is seen in a mugshot released by Charlottesville, Virginia police department (Charlottesville Police Department/Handout via REUTERS)

The lawsuit names Fields, “Unite the Right” rally organiser Jason Kessler and about two dozen alt-right leaders and organisations as defendants.

“There was no doubt that violence was intended at this rally,” the pair said in the lawsuit, noting that participants came bearing shields and weapons.

Kessler has denied that the event was intended to provoke violence, contending that the counter-protesters sparked the fighting and blaming police for failing to protect his group. He could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Fields has been charged with second-degree murder for killing Heather Heyer with his car, and additional charges for the other 19 people injured. He was denied bail at a Monday court hearing.

 

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