Vigil held in front of Trump Tower Chicago for Charlottesville victims

About 50 people held a vigil across the river from Trump Tower Saturday night for a woman killed when a car drove into a crowd of counter-protesters earlier in the day at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The woman was killed and 19 others were injured when the car slammed into the crowd of peaceful protesters who came to oppose the rally, which was spurred by plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Ryan Butram, 33, of Chicago, said he put out a call on social media for others to join him across from Trump Tower at Wabash Avenue and Upper Wacker Drive. The group talked among themselves about the day’s news and held candles. Some people walking by joined the group.

“It’s better than sitting at home and feeling sad and really angry,” Butram said. “It’s important to come together, to be together.”

Butram said he picked Trump Tower for the location because President Donald Trump “has welcomed white nationalists in from the cold” and helped provide a bigger platform for their beliefs.

Several local groups were also organizing a rally at 1 p.m. Sunday to protest white nationalism and the attack in Charlottesville at Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street.