Far-right protesters gather at University of Virginia

University of Virginia police dispersed a gathering of far-right protesters on the Charlottesville, Va. campus Friday night ahead of a planned demonstration by white nationalists, white supremacists and alt-right groups on Saturday.

Police arriving on the scene declared the protest on Friday an “unlawful assembly” and told demonstrators to disperse, video footage of the gathering shows. 

Unlawful assembly declared at @UVA pic.twitter.com/y3UvphNYH3

— Allison Wrabel (@craftypanda) August 12, 2017

Protesters holding torches clustered on the campus in an apparent lead-up to a Saturday demonstration protesting Charlottesville’s decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. {mosads}

Photos and video of the protests posted on social media Friday showed demonstrators marching through dark walkways, chanting slogans like “white lives matter” and “you will not replace us.”

“Blood and soil” #defendcville #unitetheright pic.twitter.com/GMHDsbrUBY

— Shay Horse (@HuntedHorse) August 12, 2017

Now gathering around statue of Thomas Jefferson. Chanting ‘white lives matter!’ pic.twitter.com/16cruXn5d8

— Joe Heim (@JoeHeim) August 12, 2017

White nationalists chanting “you will not replace us” and “white lives matter” at counter-protestors here at UVA. pic.twitter.com/rDbig1bRK4

— Joshua Eaton (@joshua_eaton) August 12, 2017

#UniteTheRight march chants “Blood and soil” pic.twitter.com/cX4O11jc35

— Alex Rubinstein (@RealAlexRubi) August 12, 2017

The protest planned for Saturday has ignited intense opposition in Charlottesville, and large counter-demonstrations are expected to materialize in response.

Even on Friday, a group of protesters turned out in opposition to the far-right demonstration, chanting “black lives matter.”

As members of the white nationalist alt-right gather in front of Jefferson statue, counter protesters chant #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/fGmdv7tQwJ

— Tim Dodson (@Tim_Dodson) August 12, 2017

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer condemned the protest in a statement, calling the gathering “a cowardly parade of hatred, bigotry, racism, and intolerance.”

“Everyone has a right under the First Amendment to express their opinion peaceably, so here’s mine: not only as the Mayor of Charlottesville, but as a UVA faculty member and alumnus, I am beyond disgusted by this unsanctioned and despicable display of visual intimidation on a college campus,” he said.