The president of the Washington State University College Republican chapter attended the demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia, where neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists gathered to oppose plans to remove a Confederate statue.
Monday afternoon that student, James Allsup, resigned his position.
Over the weekend, the white nationalists were met with counter protesters and the groups clashed. Eventually, a car rammed into a peaceful crowd of anti-white-nationalist protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 other people.
Allsup, a Bothell native, uploaded a video to his YouTube channel – with 145,000 subscribers – that shows he arrived at the “Unite The Right” event Saturday.
Allsup told KIRO 7 that he does not condone the violence, and he says all groups deserve freedom of speech.
But he’s been criticized on social media for attending the rally. Allsup says he’s being unfairly targeted online, including on a Twitter account called “Yes, You’re Racist.”
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Washington State University’s President Kirk Schulz released a statement on Sunday night. Schulz did not clarify if the statement was regarding Allsup or the Charlottesville events at large.
"Washington State University faculty, staff, and students work hard to provide a welcoming environment for everyone on our 5 campuses.
"We strongly denounce racism & Nazism of any kind & condemn the violence which occurred in Charlottesville. Hate has no place at WSU.
"Universities are places where controversial voices must be heard – even those voices that many in our community disagree with.
"We will continue university-wide conversations with the WSU community on how to best support everyone. There are no easy answers.
"In a society which often divides us, I am asking Cougs to come together and offer solutions to providing the environment at (sic) that we seek."
A rally in Seattle was held Sunday, when conservative demonstrators and counter-protesters clashed. At least three people were arrested.
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