The Virginia State Police has deployed hundreds of troopers to Charlottesville for the Aug. 12 weekend in order to prepare for potential violence.

Earlier this week, Governor Ralph Northam and the City of Charlottesville declared states of emergency for the city and the Commonwealth as a whole.

That move allowed Virginia officials to mobilize and fund state resources from the Department of Emergency Management, Virginia State Police, Department of Health, National Guard and other agencies.

It activated the Virginia Emergency Operations Center to coordinate state resources and allocated $2 million to pay for the state's response.

In addition, the Virginia National Guard was authorized to assign forces to the security effort.

Troopers are staying at University of Virginia student housing in Lambeth Field and Faulkner. Many students say they are upset that the university did not warn them about this in advance, especially since it falls as many students are moving in for the new school year.

More than 700 state police are expected to be in the area, and about 300 Virginia National Guard soldiers will be on standby.

Charlottesville's downtown area is being locked down to two main entry points for pedestrians and the city has banned a long list of potential weapons, excluding firearms due to Virginia's open-carry law.

Prohibited items within the security area include BB guns, pellet guns, air rifles or pistols, paintball guns, pellet guns, nunchucks, tasers, stun guns, heavy gauge metal chains, lengths of lumber or wood, poles, bricks, rocks, metal beverages or food cans or containers, glass bottle, axes, axe handles, hatchets, ice picks, acidic or caustic materials, hazardous or flammable or combustible liquids, skateboards, swords, knives, daggers, razor blades or other sharp items, metal pipes, pepper or bear spray, mace, aerosol sprays, catapults, wrist rockets, bats, sticks, clubs, drones, explosives, fireworks, open fire or open flames, and any other item that can be considered an "implement of riot."

Law enforcement officers will also be enforcing the state law against the wearing of masks in certain places. These include hoods or other devices that cover a "substantial portion of the face."

The security checkpoints will be effective the evening of Aug. 10 and last through the weekend.

A number of downtown business owners told WHSV's sister station, WCAV, that the response seems like "overkill" from the state trying to make up for what happened last year.

A months-long investigation by former U.S. Attorney Tim Heaphy into what happened during the deadly "Unite the Right" rally found that law enforcement failed on multiple fronts, including one that may have led directly to the death of Heather Heyer.