BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday slammed as 鈥渄isgusting鈥� the role of white supremacists in a violent protest in Virginia and an 鈥渆vil attack鈥� against counterdemonstrators that left one woman dead, her spokesman said.
In sharply worded remarks, Merkel鈥檚 spokesman Steffen Seibert expressed shock at the weekend rally by Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists in Charlottesville.
鈥淭he scenes at the right-wing extremist march were absolutely repulsive 鈥� naked racism, anti-Semitism and hate in their most evil form were on display,鈥� he told reporters.
鈥淪uch images and chants are disgusting wherever they may be and they are diametrically opposed to the political goals of the chancellor and the entire German government.鈥�
Seibert said Merkel stood in solidarity 鈥渨ith those who peacefully oppose such aggressive, far-right views.鈥�
He underlined 鈥渉ow much the chancellor regrets the death of a woman who fell victim鈥� to 鈥渁n evil attack鈥� by a car driver.
Asked about possible links between German neo-Nazi groups and the Charlottesville marchers, Seibert said he was unaware of any connection and expressed confidence that US authorities would conduct a thorough investigation.
One woman died and 19 people were injured when a car plowed into a crowd of people after the rally by white supremacists turned violent. Two state police officers died in a helicopter crash near the area.
Some of the marchers used Nazi symbols, slogans and gestures that have been explicitly banned in Germany since World War II.
President Donald Trump has come in for virulent criticism after an initial failure to explicitly condemn the white nationalists for their role in the protest.
A full day after the violence erupted, the White House insisted Sunday that Trump鈥檚 condemnation included all such groups.