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Once in a generation, there is a trial that fundamentally changes our nation. We took on the leadership of the violent white nationalist movement – sending a clear message that violent hate has no place in our country.

In August 2017, hundreds of white supremacists and neo-Nazis invaded Charlottesville, Virginia. This was not a peaceful protest but, rather, a meticulously planned conspiracy to bring violence to Charlottesville -- the result of months of online organizing, fueled by racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia, xenophobia, and other forms of hate. 

On August 11th, they marched with torches and surrounded a group of students and community members on the University of Virginia campus. White supremacists pushed, punched, and threw lighted torches. They chanted "Jews will not replace us," "blood and soil," and "this is our town now." Religious leaders at a nearby church sheltered in place fearing that they would be next.

On August 12th, these white supremacists and neo-Nazis marched military-style to Emancipation Park, shouting racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic slurs and carrying swastikas and other Nazi symbols. They charged through a line of interfaith clergy. They attacked and assaulted countless citizens. After police dispersed them, James Alex Fields Jr. drove his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 19 others.

Shortly after the violence, members of the community filed a landmark lawsuit against the white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and hate groups responsible. In fall of 2021, the case went to trial, resulting in a historic victory in which every defendant was found liable. 

IFA's suit sent a message to every hate group in the country: Americans will not give in to violence and hate. We will defend the dignity and equality of all people. And we will ensure this never happens again.

Case Milestones

November 23, 2021: Plaintiffs win

On November 23, 2021, IFA's plaintiffs won their historic lawsuit -- with the jury holding every defendant liable for entering into an unlawful conspiracy to commit violence and intimidation, in addition to other claims, and awarding multi-million-dollar damages.

October 25, 2021: Sines v. Kessler Goes to Trial

On October 25th, the Sines v. Kessler trial began in federal court in Charlottesville, Virginia. Information on how to follow the trial can be found here

October 01, 2021: Default Entered Against Nationalist Front

A federal judge granted plaintiffs’ motion for entry of default against defendant Nationalist Front, which was an umbrella organization for neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups. 

September 22, 2021: Court Grants Second Motion for Evidentiary Sanctions Against Robert "Azzmador" Ray

The court granted evidentiary sanctions establishing key facts against Robert "Azzmador" Ray, including that he engaged in an agreement with co-conspirators to committ racially motivated violence in Charlottesville.  

June 23, 2021: Court Grants Evidentiary Sanctions Against Neo-Nazi Group National Socialist Movement

In response to a motion from our plaintiffs, the court granted evidentiary sanctions, known as adverse inferences, against the National Socialist Movement for concealing/destroying evidence. 

June 18, 2021: Court Denies Defendants' Motions for Venue Transfer

The court denied a motion by the defendants' to move the trial out of Charlottesville. 

May 19, 2021: Court denies Richard Spencer's motion for summary judgement

The Court denied a late motion for summary judgement by defendant Richard Spencer. He will face trial alongside his co-defendants. 

March 31, 2021: COURT DENIES DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO EXCLUDE EXPERT TESTIMONY

The court denied a motion filed by a number of defendants to exclude certain expert testimony related to white supremacist tactics and the broader movement, finding that the testimony “will be relevant and helpful to a jury in this case.”

March 31, 2021: COURT DENIES DEFENDANTS’ MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

The court denied a motion for summary judgment filed by defendants League of the South and its leaders Michael Hill and Michael Tubbs. They will now face trial alongside their co-defendants.

March 30, 2021: COURT GRANTS EVIDENTIARY SANCTIONS AGAINST WHITE SUPREMACIST HATE GROUP VANGUARD AMERICA

Plaintiffs detailed how defendant Vanguard America and its leaders withheld and failed to preserve material evidence in our suit. Vanguard America was previously sanctioned over $16,000 for disobeying court orders.

March 25, 2021: COURT GRANTS EVIDENTIARY SANCTIONS AGAINST NEO-NAZI DEFENDANT ROBERT “AZZMADOR” RAY

The court granted plaintiffs’ request for a permissive adverse inference instruction against Ray, finding that “plaintiffs produced clear and convincing evidence that Ray intentionally withheld requested discovery knowing that it was relevant to an issue in the case.” This is the second time plaintiffs have won adverse inferences against the defendants.

November 30, 2020: COURT GRANTS SANCTIONS – INCLUDING ADVERSE INFERENCES – AGAINST NEO-NAZI DEFENDANT ELLIOTT KLINE

The jury will be instructed to treat as established fact that Kline entered into an agreement with co-conspirators to commit racially-motivated violence in Charlottesville, among other facts.

September 16, 2020: COURT FINDS DEFENDANT ROBERT "AZZMADOR" RAY IN CONTEMPT OF COURT AND ISSUES A BENCH WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST

After flagrantly violating court orders and failing to appear for three depositions, Robert "Azzmador" Ray was found by a federal judge to be in contempt of court, and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. 

June 23, 2020: COURT FULLY GRANTS CHARLOTTESVILLE PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY FROM NEO-NAZI HATE GROUP NATIONAL SOCIALIST MOVEMENT

A federal court fully granted plaintiffs' motion to compel discovery from neo-Nazi hate group National Socialist Movement. The court ordered NSM Commander Burt Colucci to identify and turn over all relevant social media accounts and electronic devices.

May 27, 2020: COURT FULLY GRANTS CHARLOTTESVILLE PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY FROM NEO-NAZI DEFENDANT JEFF SCHOEP

A federal court ordered neo-Nazi Jeff Schoep to immediately turn over previously undisclosed phone, social media accounts, and other evidence — and also pay fees. Court warns he may face additional sanctions and contempt of court.

May 26, 2020: CHARLOTTESVILLE PLAINTIFFS WIN SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PENALTIES AGAINST NEO-NAZI DEFENDANTS

In a significant win for Charlottesville plaintiffs, a federal court ordered defendants Matthew Heimbach, Elliott Kline, and Vanguard America to pay $41,300 in financial sanctions. The court left the door open to even harsher sanctions if they fail to comply.

May 18, 2020: COURT FULLY GRANTS CHARLOTTESVILLE PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY FROM NEO-NAZI DEFENDANT ROBERT “AZZMADOR” RAY

A federal court fully granted plaintiffs' motion to compel discovery and ordered neo-Nazi Robert “Azzmador” Ray to turn over all relevant social media accounts and electronic devices. 

January 06, 2020: Defendant Elliott Kline (aka Eli Mosley) Reports to Jail

Neo-Nazi defendant Elliott Kline (aka Eli Mosley) surrendered himself to the custody of the U.S. Marshals office for jail.

September 17, 2019: Court Grants Motion To Add Thomas Baker As Plaintiff

The federal court granted plaintiffs' motion to add Thomas Baker as a plaintiff in the suit. Click here to read the amended complaint.

August 09, 2019: Federal Court Sanctions Defendants Elliot Kline (aka Eli Mosley), Matthew Heimbach, and Vanguard America

The court sanctioned defendants Kline, Heimbach, and Vanguard America, requiring them to pay plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and leaving the door open to even harsher penalties.

April 29, 2019: Federal Court Sanctions Defendant Jeff Schoep

The court requires defendant Schoep to turn over critical evidence.

April 12, 2019: Plaintiffs File Motion for Sanctions Against White Supremacist Group Vanguard America

Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Sanctions against Defendant Vanguard America. 

April 03, 2019: Plaintiffs File Motion for Sanctions Against Elliott Klein and Matthew Heimbach

Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Sanctions against Defendants Elliott Klein (a/k/a Eli Mosley) and Matthew Heimbach, citing Defendants' failure to comply with court orders.

February 19, 2019: Federal Judge Denies Motion to Quash Subpoenas to Twitter and Platforms

Judge Norman K. Moon denied a motion to block Twitter, GoDaddy.com, Cloudfare, and Hatreon from complying with plaintiff's subpoenas, which seek evidence related to the defendants coordination and planning of racially-motivated violence.

February 14, 2019: Court Rules Plaintiffs can Proceed with Litigation Despite Bankruptcy Claims

A California bankruptcy court ruled that defendant Nathan Damigo cannot avoid liability under Sines v. Kessler, despite his bankrupty claims.

November 13, 2018: Court Allows Discovery to Proceed with Imaging of Defendants' Devices and Social Media Accounts

In an important victory for Plaintiffs, the court compelled Defendants to hand over devices and social media accounts to be imaged, a critical step in the discovery process.

July 09, 2018: Court Rejects Defendants' Motions to Dismiss

In a "huge victory" for Plaintiffs, the federal district court issued a 62-page decision rejecting Defendants' motions to dismiss.

May 24, 2018: Arguments on Motions to Dismiss

The federal district court in Charlottesville heard oral arguments on Defendants' motions to dismiss the case.

May 17, 2018: David Duke Ordered to Produce Documents

A federal court in Louisiana ordered former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke, a non-party, to produce documents in response to Plaintiffs' subpoena.

March 15, 2018: Default Entered Against Five Defendants

Plaintiffs obtained entries of default against five defendants, including neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin and the East Coast Knights of the KKK.

January 05, 2018: Amended Complaint Filed

Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint, including two new named plaintiffs who were injured by Defendant James Alex Fields.

October 11, 2017: Complaint Filed

Plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against white supremacists and hate groups for conspiring and causing violence in Charlottesville. The complaint alleged violations of the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act and various state laws.

The Charlottesville Case: Plaintiffs

Our plaintiffs are members of the Charlottesville community. They include parents, students, a Christian minister, and others who peacefully protested when white supremacists invaded their hometown. They were specifically targeted on the basis of their race, religion, and ethnicity or because they stood up for the safety and civil rights of others.

 The plaintiffs were injured by the defendants, including a number who were grievously injured when James Alex Fields, Jr., drove his car into a crowd of peaceful protesters. As stated in the complaint, our plaintiffs hope "to ensure that nothing like this will happen again at the hands of Defendants—not on the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, and not anywhere else in the United States of America."

The Defendants

Defendants are two dozen prominent white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and hate groups that planned, promoted, and executed the violent acts in Charlottesville. They came with clubs and shields, pistols and assault rifles, helmets and pepper spray. Defendants killed one woman and injured dozens more. They did not come to protest peacefully. They came with a plan to provoke violence.

Defendants include Jason Kessler, a white nationalist who led the organizing efforts; Richard Spencer, a white nationalist who believes in "ethnic cleansing"; Matthew Heimbach, a white nationalist who said, "Of course we look up to men like Adolf Hitler"; and James Alex Fields Jr., who drove the car that killed Heather Heyer; as well as hate groups like the Traditionalist Worker Party, Identity Evropa, and the League of the South.

Stay up to date

Our lawsuit against the Nazis and white supremacists who organized the attack on Charlottesville goes to trial on October 25. Subscribe here for updates about the case and the broader fight against white supremacy.