Heather Heyer Memorial

Coming to the Downtown Mall from the Water St. Parking Garage, this is often one of the first things you will see. On August 12, 2017, amid the protests and counter protests over the removal of the Lee statue, one of the protesters drove a car directly into a group of counter protesters walking here. Many were injured, but Heather Heyer died from the hit that day. This street was named after her in the aftermath and there has been a memorial here ever since. That day was, for many in Charlottesville I think, a traumatic day. Walking past this memorial I always remember the fear I felt that day and how I learned that my hometown was not as safe as I believed.