Trump denounces racism ahead of white supremacist rally anniversary
Washington, Aug 12 : US President Donald Trump denounced on Saturday "all types of racism" ahead of the anniversary of the white supremacist rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, which resulted in the death of a woman and two police officers.
"The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division. We must come together as a nation. I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence. Peace to ALL Americans!," Trump wrote on Twitter.
Trump's message is in stark contrast with the controversial remarks he made nearly a year ago, when he blamed the violence in Charlottesville on both the neo-Nazi groups and the counter-protesters, adding that there were "fine people" among the white supremacists, Efe reported.
The Charlottesville protests, which became a symbol of racial tensions in the US, took place on August 12, when white supremacists marched in the city to denounce the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general who fought in the American Civil War.
During the rally, a young neo-Nazi rammed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 people.
In addition, two police officers died in a helicopter crash while they were monitoring the protests.
A student rally has been planned this weekend in Charlottesville to reclaim the campus square where the white supremacists marched last year wielding tiki torches.
However, most sights will be set on Washington, DC, where white nationalists are once again planning a "Unite the Right" rally, which last year ended in tragedy in Charlottesville.
The neo-Nazis are planning to protest in front of the White House, while a coalition of progressive groups has organized an "anti-racist" counter-protest nearby.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
