Leaders around the globe denounce Charlottesville clashes

Rick Jervis | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump on Charlottesville violence: 'Racism is evil' President Trump denounced all hate groups and racism following the deadly weekend violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Global leaders from Canada to Germany strongly denounced the Charlottesville clashes and decried the role of white supremacists in them.

"The scenes at the right-wing extremist march were absolutely repulsive – naked racism, antisemitism and hate in their most evil form were on display," a spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters on Monday.

“Such images and chants are disgusting wherever they may be and they are diametrically opposed to the political goals of the Chancellor and the entire German government,” the spokesperson said, according to The Indepedent.

The spokesperson added that Ms Merkel supported “those who peacefully oppose such aggressive, far-right views”.

President Trump was criticized early on for not directly denouncing the white nationalists, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members that marched on Charlottesville over the weekend during a "Unite the Right" rally.

The protesters clashed with counter-protesters, resulting in more than a dozen injuries. One far-right activist drove his car into a crowd of protestors, killing protester Heather Heyer, 32. Two state troopers also died Sunday when their helicopter crashed during an effort to contain the violence.

Trump on Monday more directly denounced the far-right groups and vowed prosecution for those involved in criminal activity during the protests.

In a prepared speech, Trump said "those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans."

Across the globe, other world leaders harshly denounced the weekend violence and criticized the role of the far-right groups.

In a tweet from her official Twitter account, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with #Charlottesville. The UK stands with the US against racism, hatred and violence.”

Jeremy Corbyn, head of the opposition Labour party, echoed that sentiment with his own tweet: “My thoughts are with those killed and injured in #Charlottesvile standing up to racism and hatred.”

Canada, which has dealt with its share of hate crimes over the years, also lashed out strongly against the events. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used Twitter to denounce Sunday's violence.

“We know Canada isn’t immune to racist violence & hate,” Trudeau wrote. “We condemn it in all its forms & send support to the victims in Charlottesville.”

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon specifically targeted the neo-Nazi factions of the protesters in her statement, also released on Twitter.

“There is no equivalence between Nazis who peddle hate and those who protest against them to defend tolerance of diversity,” Sturgeon wrote.

The events also generated news copy and headlines around the world, with Germnay's Die Tageszeitung focusing on Heyer's death, stating she had been killed by a "U.S. neo-Nazi." Left-leaning French publication Libération went with the bold front page of a group of torch-carrying white supremacists in Charlottesville with the three-word headline: "La Maison Blanche," or the White House.