Harry Rogers
The man charged with driving through a group of protesters on Sunday has admitted to being a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, a prosecutor says..
Harry H. Rogers, 36, is charged with assault and battery, attempted malicious wounding, and felony vandalism, according to The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
New: Man accused of driving car through protestors in Virginia Sunday is “admitted leader of Ku Klux Klan & a propagandist for Confederate ideology,” according to County Attorney.
Harry Rogers is charged with attempted malicious wounding, felony vandalism & assault & battery
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 8, 2020
Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor announced Monday that the defendant is “an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology.” Taylor said her office is looking into whether hate crime charges “are appropriate” for the case.
With that in mind, that KKK detail would certainly be relevant to the case.
The killing of Minnesota man George Floyd in police custody sparked nationwide protests over the past two weeks. Video showed then-officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s his neck for several minutes, even after he became unresponsive.
Henrico County, Virginia was no exception to seeing outcry, but things took a violent turn during a demonstration on Sunday.
“Several witnesses reported that [the driver of a blue pickup] revved their engine and drove through the protesters occupying the roadway,” Lieutenant A.M. Robertson said, according to WTVR. A man was struck, but declined further medical treatment after being checked on the scene, cops said.
As of Monday, only one person was reported to be injured.
“While I am grateful that the victim’s injuries do not appear to be serious, an attack on peaceful protesters is heinous and despicable and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Taylor said.
An attorney of record for the defendant did not immediately respond to a Law&Crime request for comment.
[Mugshot via Henrico County]
