Donald Trump has been blamed for the violent clashes between white supremacists and anti-fascist groups in Charlottesville by the mayor of the Virginia town.

Michael Signer said he was disappointed the white nationalists had descended on his town and said responsibility lay with Mr Trump for inflaming racial prejudice during his presidential campaign last year.

Mr Signer said: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the President."

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

He was speaking shortly before it emerged one person had been killed and several others injured when a car hit anti-fascist protesters.

The clashes broke out at a "Unite the Right" protest over the decision by the local government to remove a statue of the leading Confederate general, Robert E Lee, during the American Civil War.

Mr Trump has now issued his first tweet condemning the violence, several hours after the violence began.

He followed this up with another, calling the clashes which were centered around the city's university, "sad".

Some on Twitter accused the President of not being specific enough in his tweet as he did not specify that he was referring to white supremacists or far-right groups.

Several members of the Klu Klux Klan joined in with the protests as well as various alt-right activists, militia members and Confederate heritage groups.

Mr Trump has repeatedly been accused of having stirred up racial tensions in the country through his rhetoric on immigrants and his vow to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

Officials in Charlottesville declared a state of emergency shortly after 11am local time as the clashes became more violent, with punches thrown between rival groups and pepper spray released in the crowd.

The clashes are the latest since the city, situated around 100 miles from Washington DC, voted to remove the statue from a park.

So-called alt-right journalist Jason Kessler said the protest was partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also involved wider issues around free speech and "advocating for white people".

He said in an interview: "This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do."

More attendees are expected to flock to Charlottesville - normally a quiet, liberal-leaning university city.

Both local hospitals said they had taken precautions to prepare for an influx of patients and had extra staff on standby.