Charlottesville vice-mayor blasts 'whiny little brats of the alt-right' and Trump's 'blame game'

Charlottesville's vice-mayor slammed U.S. President Donald Trump's response to the deadly violence that transpired in his Virginia city over the weekend, saying Trump placing blame on both white nationalists and counter-protesters "shows who he really is."

Trump is "playing the blame game like a 10-year-old," Wes Bellamy told CBC News. "That comes to show what kind of leader and individual he is."

Bellamyhas taken to referring toTrump as "45" instead of "president," an allusion to Trump beingthe45thU.S. president.

"When he acts like [a president], I'll call him that," he said.

• Trump says 'alt-left' also to blame for Charlottesville violence
• AS IT HAPPENS |Why Charlottesville Vice-Mayor Wes Bellamy won't call Donald Trump president

"I'd rather not spend a lot of time discussing 45.I think it is more important to focus on the city of Charlottesville. What 45 does is not going to make or break our city."

Heather Heyer's mother offers passionate eulogy

7 years ago

Duration 6:40

Susan Bro hopes her daughter's death sends a message, during memorial in Charlottesville.

Hundreds of counter-protesters gathered in Charlottesville on Saturday to decry a large gathering of white nationalists who descended on the city to oppose the decision to remove a Confederate monument.

Bellamy also praisedHeatherHeyer, the32-year-oldCharlottesville resident who was killed during the counter-demonstrations when a car drove into a crowd of counter-protesters.

'What about the alt-left?'

7 years ago

Duration 0:24

Trump says the 'alt-left' is also responsible for the Charlottesville violence

"Ever since the age of nine, Heather has been a social justice advocate, an individual who spoke her mind," said Bellamy. "This is what we're going to continue to do for her. We have to continue to push and fight."

Trump on Saturday said there was violence on "many sides," drawing criticism for not unequivocally condemning white supremacist groups. On Tuesday, he did condemn white supremacists explicitlybut also doubled-down on blaming both sidesand said "alt-left" protesters were also to blame.

Bellamy, however,placed the blame squarely onwhite nationalists.

"These individuals white nationalists, white supremacists, whatever they want to identify themselves these groups clearly wanted to send a message," he said, referring to the city's effort to take down the Confederate statue.

"These whiny little brats of the alt-right, they're like little children," he said. "Someone took what they believe are their toys, and they want to do anything they can to take them back. But they made us stronger."