Celebrities React: White Nationalist Charlottesville Protest, Alt-Right UVA Rally

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Celebrities are reacting to the white nationalist protest in Charlottesville and the alt-right rally at UVA. See reaction from Twitter below.

On Friday night, dozens of torch-carrying white nationalists marched across the University of Virginia’s campus, chanting about “white pride” and “white lives matter.” Videos and photos show a number of people making the “heil Hitler” salute and wearing Nazi regalia. They gathered in advance of Saturday’s “Unite The Right” rally, where thousands are expected to protest against Charlottesville’s attempts to cut ties with its Confederate past.

Many on social media likened last night’s gathering, which was condemned by the Charlottesville mayor, to a Ku Klux Klan march, and there are fears about what will go down today. Among those commenting about the situation are a variety of notable names, including Alyssa Milano, who deemed Friday’s protest an example of “Trump’s America.” Mark Ruffalo cracked, “Got the ole fashioned Nazi feeling don’t it?” And Katie Couric called it “a chilling scene.”

Andy Richter ripped the participants as “human race traitors,” while Rosie O’Donnell said it was evidence of “THE TRUMP EFFECT.” She added, “#25thAmendmentNow #stopTRUMP.” Debra Messing retweeted the activist DeRay McKesson, who argued, “If black folks were carrying torches on a college campus right now the administration would’ve already called the National Guard.” Kristen Bell replied to him, “Sad and true.”

“Dingleberries chanting ‘white lives matter’ while flashing the Nazi salute – @realDonaldTrump’s base. Show your whole selves,” tweeted Jeffrey Wright. Eliza Dusku expressed, “Sick sick sick sick good god this is sick.” Soledad O’Brien shared photos of the small group of students who stood in a counter-protest, writing, “This group of teens at the center of this rally. I’m so afraid for them, and so proud they exist. Thank you.” And Judd Apatow retweeted New York Times staffer Erin McCann, who insisted, “Listen, when they’re carrying torches and chanting about white pride, ‘alt-right’ isn’t the word you’re looking for.” Rosie Perez also tweeted, “We all wanted to believed USA was past #HatefulRacistViolentProtests-Yet here we are Again! Hope ppl of #Charlottesville are protected today.”