Pittsburgh Reacts To Charlottesville Violence With Rally, Vigil

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Hundreds of Pittsburghers reacted to Saturday's events in Charlottesville with a rally and a vigil

About 200 people gathered in Market Square late Sunday afternoon for songs and reflections on a town that saw the uglier side of hate played out on TV.

"And I'm really, for the first time in my life, I'm afraid we're on a precipice of becoming a country that we don't want to be," rally co-organizer Karen Hockberg said.

"And every time we lose somebody, every time that somebody is lost in this struggle, every time that somebody gets harmed in this struggle, that has to encourage us to double-down our efforts. Commit more time, commit more energy," one speaker said.

Many of those in Market Square moved on to a larger vigil in Schenley Plaza, where several hundred people gathered.

"The events in Charlottesville are not a new phenomenon. They stem from a long history of violence that is America's legacy."

The crowd there was a mix of black and white, young and old, holding hand-painted signs that showed a range of emotions. For many, including some who were in Charlottesville on Saturday, what has happened now becomes a cry for action in the future.

"We cannot allow this to continue. This war takes no days off. Each we waste is a fatal mistake," another speaker said.

Candlelight and chants brought the evening to a close, but the issues are far from over.