‘We are stronger than you’: VA governor blasts ‘pretend patriot’ white supremacists for Charlottesville violence

Gov. Terry McAuliffe, D-VA (Screen capture)

Virginia’s Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) sent a strong message to the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and KKK members who marched in Saturday’s “Unite the Right” rally, which devolved into violence that left three people dead and many more injured.

After thanking law enforcement officials and clergy for their work on Saturday, the governor lit into the hate groups that converged on Charlottesville.

“Go home,” McAuliffe said. “You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you.”

He continued, “You pretend you are patriots, but you are anything but a patriot. You want to talk about patriots, talk about Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, who brought our country together. You want to think about the patriots today, think about the young men and women wearing the cloth of our country. Somewhere around the globe they’re putting their life in danger. They’re patriots. You are not.”

He went on, “You came here today to hurt people, and you did hurt people. My message is clear. We are stronger than you. You have made our commonwealth stronger. You will not succeed. There is no place for you here, there is no place for you in America.”