Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba released a statement condemning the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., as well as expressing support for changing the Mississippi state flag. Photo by Imani Khayyam.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba released the following statement on Wednesday, Aug. 16, in response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend:

I am deeply saddened by the blatant display of bigotry and racism in Charlottesville, VA this past weekend. These events led by white supremacists and alt-right groups are crimes against humanity and we must do everything in our power to dismantle and disavow such hatred and oppression.

I offer condolences to the family of Heather Heyer. I commend her bravery in the face of cowardly racist aggression. Her life and the lives of others across history must not have been lost in vain. We must vow to boldly stand against all that seeks to divide us. The City of Jackson stands in solidarity with the city of Charlottesville in denouncing the actions of those groups who intended to intimidate that city and the nation at large. We are resilient and will not be discouraged in our continuing struggle against the evil of racism.

We stand in solidarity with efforts around the nation to rid ourselves of relics of oppression and support efforts that unite people and not divide them. We have been and remain clear in our position against images of oppression such as the Mississippi state flag and other monuments which pay homage to the oppressive history of the city of Jackson, the state of Mississippi and the country.

-Chokwe Antar Lumumba, Mayor of the City of Jackson