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Fact Check: there were peaceful people protesting the removal of the lee statue on aug 12 2017

Fact Check: there were peaceful people protesting the removal of the lee statue on aug 12 2017

Published July 25, 2025
by TruthOrFake AI
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VERDICT
Partially True

# Fact Check: "There were peaceful people protesting the removal of the Lee statue on Aug 12, 2017" ## What We Know On August 12, 2017, a rally known...

Fact Check: "There were peaceful people protesting the removal of the Lee statue on Aug 12, 2017"

What We Know

On August 12, 2017, a rally known as the "Unite the Right" took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, primarily organized by white nationalists and other far-right groups to protest the city's decision to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. This rally was marked by significant violence and clashes between the rally participants and counter-protesters, leading to one death and numerous injuries (source-2, source-5).

While the rally was predominantly characterized by the presence of white nationalists, there were also counter-demonstrators who opposed the rally and the ideologies it represented. Reports indicate that some individuals at the rally may have been there for peaceful protest, but the overall atmosphere was heavily charged and violent (source-3, source-6).

Analysis

The claim that there were peaceful people protesting the removal of the Lee statue on August 12, 2017, is partially true. While it is accurate that there were individuals present who may have intended to protest peacefully, the overwhelming narrative of the day was dominated by violent clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters. The rally was officially organized by groups with a history of promoting white supremacy, which complicates the characterization of the event as a peaceful protest (source-4, source-7).

The presence of counter-protesters, who were there to oppose the rally and its ideologies, indicates that there were indeed individuals advocating for a different perspective. However, the violence that erupted during the event overshadowed any peaceful intentions and led to a tragic outcome (source-1, source-8).

The sources used in this analysis vary in reliability. The New York Times and NPR are reputable news organizations known for their journalistic standards, while Wikipedia, although useful for initial context, should be approached with caution due to its open-edit nature. Official reports from the Virginia government provide a factual basis but may reflect a specific narrative focused on the state's response (source-1).

Conclusion

The claim that there were peaceful people protesting the removal of the Lee statue on August 12, 2017, is partially true. While there were indeed individuals who may have intended to protest peacefully, the event was largely overshadowed by violent confrontations between white nationalists and counter-protesters. The context of the rally, its organization by extremist groups, and the resulting violence complicate the narrative of a peaceful protest.

Sources

  1. Virginia's Response to the Unite the Right Rally
  2. The Statue at the Center of Charlottesville's Storm
  3. The Charlottesville rally 5 years later: 'It's what you're still trying to forget'
  4. Charlottesville set to remove Lee statue that sparked rally
  5. Unite the Right rally
  6. Charlottesville community counteracts violent August 2017 protests
  7. Charlottesville: 'Unite the Right' Rally, State of Emergency
  8. What to know about the violent Charlottesville protests and their aftermath

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Fact Check: there were peaceful people protesting the removal of the lee statue on aug 12 2017 | TruthOrFake Blog