One dead, 34 injured in clashes at Virginia white nationalist rally

Vehicles are seen plowing into the crowd gathered on a street in Charlottesville, Virginia, US, after police broke up a clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters, August 12, 2017, in this still image from a video obtained from social media. [Photo/Agencies]

At least one personwas killed and 34 others injured in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday when white nationalists protesting plans to remove the statue of a Confederate general clashed with counter-demonstrators and a car plowed into a crowd, officials said.

The clashes prompted the governor to declare an emergencyand halt the rally, and President Donald Trump condemned the violence. The driver of the car has been taken into custody, USA Today reported, citing the state's secretary of public safety.

"I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here," Charlottesville Mayor Mike Singer said on his Twitter feed. "I urge all people of good will - go home."

Video on social media and Reuters photographs showed a car slamming into a large group of what appeared to be counter-protesters, sending people flying into the air.

The University of Virginia Health Systems received 20 patients from the scene near the car strike. One of those people died and 19 were being treated, a spokeswoman said without offering details on the injuries.

The City of Charlottesville said 15 people were injured at the site of the rally.

"We're closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia," Trump told reporters at his New Jersey golf course.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides."

A reporter shouted a question to Trump about whether he had spoken out strongly enough against white nationalists but the president made no comment.