Police are blocking off streets and mobilizing hundreds of officers for the anniversary of a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, alarming activists who plan to rally against the hatred and bloodshed that shocked the nation last summer.

State and local authorities framed this weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution, but some community activists are concerned the measures could be a counterproductive overreaction.

An independent investigation of last year's rally violence, led by a former federal prosecutor, found the chaos stemmed from a passive response by law enforcement and poor preparation and coordination between state and city police.

Lisa Woolfork, a University of Virginia professor and Black Lives Matter Charlottesville organizer, said police are mounting a "huge, overwhelming show of force to compensate for last year's inaction."

"Last year, I was afraid of the Nazis. This year, I'm afraid of the police," Woolfork said. "This is not making anyone that I know feel safe."

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16 PHOTOS One year anniversary of deadly Charlottesville, Virginia rally clashes See Gallery One year anniversary of deadly Charlottesville, Virginia rally clashes Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the August 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, looks at the memorial and writings at the site where her daughter was killed in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., July 31, 2018. Picture taken July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder The Reverend William Peyton poses for a portrait at St. Paul's Memorial Church, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A U.S. flag flies from the back of a car, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the August 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, looks at mementos of her daughter in her office in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., July 31, 2018. Picture taken July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A boy passes tributes written at the site where Heather Heyer was killed during the 2017 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A grave stone reading "Hagar Faithful Servant," according to the local government the grave of a domestic servant or slave of R.K. Meade named Newton Hagar, stands in Maplewood Cemetery, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Andrea Douglas, director of the Heritage Center at the Jefferson School, speaks to Reuters, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A statue of Civil War Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson stands in a park, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands in a park, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A sign against racism stands outside a church, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A woman walks past tributes written at the site where Heather Heyer was killed during the 2017 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A pedestrian walks past a statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder "End White Supremacy" is written at the site where Heather Heyer was killed during the 2017 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A homeless man lies in the park in front the statue of Confederate Civil War General Robert E. Lee, ahead the one-year anniversary of the fatal white-nationalist rally, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., July 31, 2018. Picture taken July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder A local Sheriff patrols past the site where Heather Heyer was killed during the 2017 white-nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 1, 2018. Picture taken August 1, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the August 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, looks at the memorial and writings at the site where her daughter was killed in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., July 31, 2018. Picture taken July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

Grace Aheron, an organizer for Showing Up for Racial Justice, said a "militarized police presence" doesn't make the city safer.

"I'm not looking forward to what that's going to look like this weekend," she said.

On the eve of last year's rally, torch-toting white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia's campus, shouting racist and anti-Semitic slogans. On Saturday, students and activists plan to hold a "Rally for Justice" on campus while the university is hosting a "morning of reflection and renewal," with poetry readings and musical performances. Activists also announced plans for a gathering Sunday morning at a park in Charlottesville.

Sunday is the anniversary of the violence that erupted on the streets of Charlottesville, where hundreds of rally participants gathered to protest the city's plans to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from a park that was named after the Confederate general. Crowds of white supremacists and counterprotesters clashed before a car plowed into a crowd, killing 32-year-old counterprotester Heather Heyer. James Fields Jr., 21, of Maumee, Ohio, is charged in state court with murder in Heyer's killing and also faces separate hate crime charges in federal court.

Jason Kessler, the primary organizer of last summer's rally, sued the city of Charlottesville after it refused to issue him a permit for another event this weekend. However, Kessler dropped his lawsuit last week and vowed to forge ahead with plans for a "white civil rights" rally Sunday in Washington, D.C.

On Wednesday, Gov. Ralph Northam and the city both declared states of emergency, citing the "potential impacts of events" in Charlottesville during the anniversary weekend. The state's declaration allocates $2 million in state funds and authorizes the Virginia National Guard to assist in security efforts.

The city is closing downtown streets and public parks and restricting access to a downtown "security area," where visitors are prohibited from wearing masks or carrying certain items, including skateboards, catapults, glass bottles, bats and knives. Virginia State Police Superintendent Gary Settle said more than 700 state police will be activated during the weekend.

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