A federal jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, found prominent white supremacists Richard Spencer, Jason Kessler and Christopher Cantwell, and others liable for civil conspiracy in the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally, AP reports.
Why it matters: The ruling came after a nearly month-long trial and awarded more than $25 million to nine people who suffered injuries at the violent demonstrations.
- The jury has yet to reach a verdict on the federal conspiracy charges the alleged conspirators face, the Washington Post notes.
Catch up quick: In August of 2017, hundreds of white nationalists gathered in Charlottesville to oppose the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
- Thousands marched on the University of Virginia campus wielding torches and chanting things like "Jews will not replace us."
- Anti-fascist, Black Lives Matter activists and other groups held counter protests during the rally and several fights later broke out.
- The violence escalated when a 20-year-old man drove his car through a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman and injuring several others.
Go deeper: Understanding the Charlottesville chaos...