[rlmorel]

Okay. Just for the record (to be sure I understand it correctly) the “Unite the Right” group had a legal permit that had been issued, then revoked a week before the event, then restored (presumably via some legal action) the day before the rally?

Why did the Virginia State Police declare it an unlawful assembly?

I understand that there is a possibility they may have decided that it was unsafe and mandated an end to the event, but to declare it an unlawful assembly?

Was it a misunderstanding by the Virginia State Police who may not have realized the permit was restored, and were operating on dated information?

Or were their actions due to liberal pressure from above?

Can anyone shed light on this for me?

[Hieronymus]

If I understand the diagram correctly, the police were stationed in such a way that rather than separating the two demonstrations, the demonstrators were contained in such a way as to maximize contact. Declaring that those who had made it to the relative safety of the fenced in area needed to disperse through the exits where the counter-demnostrators were massed by design at a time shortly before the rally began seems to me the way to best maximize friction between the two groups. Human idiocy is great, but I have a hard time believing that idiocy alone can explain the layout and the timing.

[davius]

Shortly after all rally attendees were present in the park, word began to spread that a State of Emergency had been declared, presumably by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.

[csvset]

Let there be no misunderstanding. Here's the person responsible for the "unlawful assembly" ploy.

Terry "The Punk" McAuliffe.

[Harpotoo]

It’s called a stand-down! Let the SHTF so as to give Reps negative publicity no matter the outcome. They desire 2018 so bad that people will and have died.