Trial begins for man charged in 2017 Charlottesville torch rally at the University of Virginia

AP ^ | 06 04 2024 | DENISE LAVOIE

[yesthatjallen]

Seven years after a white nationalist rally erupted in violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, a trial began Tuesday for one of about a dozen people charged with using flaming torches to intimidate counterprotesters.

Prosecutors at the trial of Jacob Joseph Dix showed the jury graphic videos of 300 to 400 white nationalists marching through the campus of the University of Virginia, carrying torches, shouting Nazi slogans and surrounding a much smaller group of anti-racist counterprotesters, an event that ended in chaos and fighting between the two groups.

But Dix’s lawyer, Peter Frazier, told the jury nothing Dix did the night of Aug. 11, 2017, was criminal, and that the chants he joined in, including “You will not replace us!” were free speech protected by the First Amendment.

“He didn’t shake his torch or try to hit somebody with it,” Frazier said.

“He is not guilty of any crimes,” he said.

The case will provide the first test of a 2002 Virginia law that makes it a felony to burn something to intimidate and cause fear of injury or death. Lawmakers passed the law after the state Supreme Court ruled that a cross-burning statute used to prosecute Ku Klux Klan members was unconstitutional. (Retro-active legislation).

SNIP

[yesthatjallen]

"Indictments unsealed last year showed 11 people had been charged with intimidation by fire"...

[Organic Panic]

And the antifa terrorists who torched a federal court house in Portland walk free.

[ComputerGuy]

...a white nationalist rally erupted in violence in Charlottesville, Virginia...

[Mark17]

And the antifa terrorists who torched a federal court house in Portland walk free.

You are correct sir, unfortunately. Isn’t this the way it works in banana republics?

[Z28.310]

Yeah but that was mostly peaceful

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I think evidence poured in that the Biden admin is trying to replace the native us population.

[cdcdawg]

“...graphic videos of 300 to 400 white nationalists marching...”

Not just marching, but “graphic” marching. Remember, this is when the Left tried to say that Trump sided with the White Supremmists.

[RckyRaCoCo]

I believe the "white nationalists" had permits to be there legally...the instigators of the eventual violence did not.

Pride is right!

...unless it's white.

[Vermont Lt]

But that is not in Virginia. You realize there are different laws in different states?

[Signalman]

So much for the right to a speedy trial.

[cowboyusa]

The FBI agent is on trial?

[fruser1]

“Proud to be Irish!”

Prima facie white nationalist slogan.

[brookwood]

Here is a quote from the article June 4, 2024 from the AP-

"But Dix’s lawyer, Peter Frazier, told the jury nothing Dix did the night of Aug. 11, 2017, was criminal, and that the chants he joined in, including “You will not replace us!” were free speech protected by the First Amendment."

Here is a corresponding quote from a linked article from April 18, 2023 from the AP

"The Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office said in a news release that the indictments relate to an event on Aug. 11, 2017. That’s when a group of white nationalists carrying torches marched through the campus of the University of Virginia, some chanting, “Jews will not replace us.”"

https://apnews.com/article/charlottesville-torch-rally-unite-right-06a9aa15d23d96f2474a476cfefa4eb9

I recall seeing some clips from 2017 when the allegation was made that the protestors said "Jews will not replace us" and it sounded to me like they were saying "You will not replace us". Now that there is an actual trial, with lots of video and audio, I guess we know that the protestors never said "Jews will not replace us". Funny how that slur was propogated for 7 years, and it turns out it wasn't true. In any case, because the leftists are now protesting about "genocide in Palestine" something tells me they don't care about Jews so much anymore, so the slur isn't offensive to them anymore. Put another way, the leftists are now the actual Nazi's saying "Jews will not replace us". But from the mouth of a leftist it's not a crime. See how that works?

[yesthatjallen]

I'm glad you pointed that out.

The phrase was, as testified to in court, 'you will not replace us'.

The media has been lying.

[Steve_Seattle]

"The case will provide the first test of a 2002 Virginia law that makes it a felony to burn something to intimidate and cause fear of injury or death."

Were the marchers actually trying to use the torches to attack people? I thought they were just carrying them.

[Fuzz]

Read it again.

[Captain Jack Aubrey]

Talk about a lot to do about nothing.

[circlecity]

A tiki light is burning something to intimidate and cause fear of injury or death? Gimme a break.

[Angelino97]

Tiki torches are so intimidating. The whole Tiki thing.

[Fuzz]

Wicker will not replace us!