After violence broke out in Charlottesville, Va. over the weekend, both of Alaska’s U.S. senators condemned the violent “Unite the Right” demonstrations.
Sen. Dan Sullivan issued a strongly worded statement that singled out the alt-right and their allies.
Hundreds of Facebook users added their own comments to his post. Some thanked Sullivan for specifically calling out far-right groups. But quite a few commentators defended the White nationalists, or complained Sullivan should have allotted equal blame to counter-protestors on the left.
Of over 100 comments that appeared on Sullivan’s post, just over half criticized the senator for condemning only the neo-Nazi side. Nearly all of the comments appear to have come from Alaskans.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski also weighed in on Facebook on Sunday.
Murkowski did not specifically name-check the alt-right or neo-Nazis. Comments on her post were more mixed.
Liz Ruskin is the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Alaska Public Media. She reports from the U.S. Capitol and from Anchorage. Reach her at lruskin@alaskapublic.org.
