Charlottesville violence: Former US presidents denounce racism
August 16, 2017  21:35
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Former US Presidents George HW Bush and George W Bush released a joint statement Wednesday denouncing racism in the wake of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

But the statement, coming one day after US President Donald Trump was widely criticised for appearing to draw a moral equivalency between white supremacists and those protesting against them, did not directly address the president's response.

"America must always reject racial bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred in all forms," they said. "As we pray for Charlottesville, we are reminded of the fundamental truths recorded by that city's most prominent citizen in the Declaration of Independence: we are all created equal and endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights. We know these truths to be everlasting because we have seen the decency and greatness of our country."

During his news conference, Trump blamed "both sides" in the protests and equated the white supremacists on one side with the counter-protesters on the other side.

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