Heather Heyer: Mother of Charlottesville victim wants her death to be 'rallying cry for justice and equality'

‘No mother wants to lose a child, but I’m proud of her’

The mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the anti-fascist protests in Virginia, has said she wants her daughter’s death to be a “rallying cry for justice and equality”.

Ms Heyer, 32, was killed in Charlottesville when a car driven by a suspected neo-Nazi ploughed into a crowd of people who were protesting against a white supremacist rally in the city on Saturday.

Twenty-five people were injured in the attack. James Alex Fields, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and failure to stop at the scene of an accident that resulted in a death, according to police.

Speaking to The Huffington Post, Susan Bro said: “I don’t want her death to be a focus of more hatred, I want her death to be a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion”.

During the emotional interview Ms Bro told the publication that her daughter had always been compassionate and had a “strong sense of right and wrong”.

“No mother wants to lose a child, but I’m proud of her,” she added.

A GoFundMe campaign set up in Ms Heyer’s memory raised $225,000 (£173,000) over the weekend. The campaign, which has since been closed, carried a statement from Ms Bro that said: “She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her.”

Social media users have shared Ms Heyer’s final Facebook post since her death. The message, from 2016, reads: “If you’re not outraged you’re not paying attention.”

Donald Trump’s response to the violence in Virginia received a torrent of criticism after he failed to directly denounce the actions of the neo-Nazis and KKK members who arrived in Charlottesville to protest the removal of a Confederate Statue.

A state of emergency was declared in the city after the rally held by white nationalists, and the counter-protests held by anti-fascists, became violent.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. On many sides,” he said after the protests.

The White House has since said the President condemns white supremacist groups. “The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and that of course includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups,” the statement read.

“He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.”

The statement from the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, about the violence was markedly different from the President’s.

“I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: go home.

“You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you.”

One of the organisers of the Unite the Right rally, Jason Kessler, attempted to give a press conference in Charlottesville following the violence, but he was chased away by protesters.

He attempted to blame the police for “refusing to do their job” and failing to prevent the violence at the protest, before chants of “murderer”, “shame” and “thug” broke out. He was forced to flee the area under the protection of the police as protesters chased him.