City Makes Statement on Charlottesville Violence

The City of Paducah's Board of Commissioners has released a statement condemning racial hatred following the outbreak of violence during a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, VA that claimed the life of a woman.

In a press release, commissioners said they "stand against racial hatred and violence in all its forms."

Heather Heyer was killed Saturday, and 19 others were injured when a man drove his car into a crowd of counter-protestors at the rally. Two Virginia State Troopers also lost their lives in a helicopter crash.

Here is the City Commission's statement in its entirety:

"The recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, have left people across the country - and in our own city - heartbroken, angry, and fearful.

The Paducah City Commission stands against racial hatred and violence in all its forms. Hate and bigotry have no place in Paducah, and we owe a sacred duty to protect the rights of every citizen, no matter the color of their skin.

We want to add our voices to our elected representatives at every level including our own United States Senator Mitch McConnell.

Our belief is that the strongest nation is a unified nation, and that democracy works best when we are united.

In Paducah, we will be proactive and do the uncomfortable work of having honest dialogue about our own history, biases, and challenges."