The mother of Heather Heyer, the 32-year-old woman who was killed at a white nationalist rally in Virginia, has issued a defiant response to the rally attendees.

"They tried to kill my child to shut her up," Susan Bro told the crowd gathered at her daughter's memorial service. "Well guess what? You just magnified her."

Ms Heyer was one of hundreds of people who gathered to protest the white nationalist gathering this weekend. She was killed on Saturday when a car – allegedly driven by a Nazi sympathiser – drove through a crowd of counter-protesters. Dozens of others were injured in the attack.

At her funeral, her mother praised her penchant for social justice, and her seemingly innate ability to "call out something that didn't seem right to her".

"I want this to spread, I don't want this to die," Ms Bro said of her daughter's activism. "This is just the beginning of Heather's legacy."

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.

Ms Bro spoke with striking poise and passion, addressing the more than 1,000 people who turned out for the funeral. She urged the attendees to be brave in honour of her daughter, and to stand up to injustice where they saw it.

"You need to find it in your heart that small spark of accountability," she told the crowd. "...You poke that finger at yourself like Heather would have done, and you make it happen. You take that extra step. You find a way to make a difference in the world."

Ms Heyer's father, Mark Heyer, also addressed the crowd, telling them of his daughter's passion and strong will. On the day of her death, he said, she was trying to "put down hate.”

Heather Heyer's father: "No father should have to do this"

Ms Heyer's alleged killer, James Alex Fields, has been charged with five felony counts, including murder. President Donald Trump called him "a disgrace to himself, his family, and this country". But Mr Heyer on Wednesday preached forgiveness – for Mr Fields, and the rest of the rally attendees.

"We just need to stop all this stuff and just forgive each other," he said. "I think that's what the Lord would want us to do – is to just love each other."

The funeral was held in Charlottesville's Paramount Theatre on Wednesday morning. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Senator Tim Kaine were in attendance.

Attendees were encouraged to wear purple – Ms Heyer's favourite colour. But looking out over the crowd, Mr Heyer commended the "rainbow" of people who had assembled.

"That was how Heather was," he said. "It didn't matter who you were, or where you were from. If she loved you, that was it – You were stuck."