Though white supremacist activity has plagued colleges nationwide, the University of Virginia has been caught up in a firestorm beyond what has typically been seen in recent months, such as controversial fliers being tacked up around campus or outspoken speakers invited.
Protesters affiliated with what many consider to be racist and hateful groups — the Ku Klux Klan and supporters of the so-called alt-right — in the past two or so months have descended on Emancipation Park, formerly known as Lee Park, in Charlottesville, normally a progressive college town best known as the home of the University of Virginia.
They’re protesting the city’s decision to remove a Confederate marker, a statue of Robert E. Lee. The groups’ proximity to the campus, combined with the area’s history in the Confederacy, has caused fear for some students, particularly students of color.
