The man accused of killing a counter-protester at last year's white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has been charged with multiple federal hate crimes.

The Justice Department charged James Alex Fields Jr with one count of a hate crime act in the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, who died when Mr Fields allegedly drove his car through a crowd of counter-protesters at the right-wing rally last August.

Mr Fields was also charged with 28 counts of hate crime acts causing bodily injury and involving an attempt to kill, and one count of racially motivated violent interference with a federally protected activity. He has yet to enter a plea.

The Ohio native has already been charged in state court with first-degree murder, among other crimes, for which he will be tried in November.

“Last summer’s violence in Charlottesville cut short a promising young life and shocked the nation," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement announcing the charges on Wednesday. "Today’s indictment should send a clear message to every would-be criminal in America that we aggressively prosecute violent crimes of hate that threaten the core principles of our nation."

One dead as car hits crowd of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville

Mr Fields was an attendee at last summer's "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, which was billed at the time as the largest gathering of white supremacists in decades. He was seen at the rally carrying a shield for white supremacist group Vanguard America, though the organisation has denied he was a member.

According to a grand jury incitement, Mr Fields returned to his vehicle shortly after police dispersed the rally. He drove down a one-way street where a large crowd had gathered to protest the rally and paused to observe.

The 21-year-old then reversed his car, stopped, and accelerated forward suddenly, according to the indictment. He allegedly ploughed through a stop sign and directly into the crowd of counter-protesters, killing Ms Heyer and injuring several others.

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.

The incident added gravity to an already troubling weekend, during which protesters carried Confederate flags and shouted chants like, "Jews will not replace us!"

President Donald Trump eventually spoke out against the rally, condemning white supremacy but blaming the violence on protesters from "both sides".

Ms Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, told the Huffington Post last year that her daughter's death should be "a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion".

“Heather was about bringing an end to injustice," she added. "I don’t want her death to be a focus for more hatred."

Mr Fields' mother, meanwhile, has said she had no idea about her son's political beliefs, and thought he was going to a rally in support of Mr Trump.

Two participants in the "Unite the Right" rally have already been convicted in the beating of a black man in a parking garage near the protest site. Alex Michael Ramos and Jacob Scott Goodwin were both convicted of malicious wounding in the beating of 20-year-old counter-protester DeAndre Harris.