CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINA-The Toledo, Ohio man who killed Heather Heyer (pictured), the 32-year-old Charlottesville, Virginia paralegal and human and civil rights activist, for opposing racism by White nationalists at a contentious rally in the city last August has been charged with a federal hate crime, in addition to a host of other crimes he was charged with last year.

Heyer was run over as suspected murderer James Alex Fields Jr. plowed his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of counter-protesters at a White nationalist rally dubbed the "United the Right" rally, leaving Heather dead and 19 others injured.

Fields, 21, was denied bail at his arraignment last year on charges of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit and run.

He was indicted on 30 additional charges this week, including a federal hate crime

Hundreds gathered at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville last year to celebrate a life taken too soon.

Among them were dignitaries, including Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, activists,  friends, family members, and colleagues.

Holding back tears, Heyer's father, Mark Heyer, said his daughter loved people, and that he is truly proud of her. And he called for peace as tensions mount nationwide following insensitive comments by President Trump on the killing, the president blaming both sides, even the non-violent protesters that appeared at the rally in good faith to call for an end to racism and bigotry in America.

"She wanted to put down hate," Mark Heyer said of his daughter at the memorial. "We need to stop all this stuff and forgive each other and I think that is what the Lord would want us to do."

"She paid attention," said Heather's mother, Susan Bro at the memorial. " She made all of us pay attention."

Her mother said that Heather became a target of White nationalists due to her outspokenness.

"They tried to kill my child to shut her up," said Bro.  "Well guess what, you just magnified her."

She went on to say that, regarding racism and bigotry in America, " we must have the uncomfortable dialogue."

And she said that her daughter's untimely death was not in vain

"I'd rather have my child, but by golly if we are going to give her up we are going to make it count," said Bro in garnering a standing ovation.

Heather's mother and father called on activists and others to carry on the fight for equal opportunity and equal justice and to stand up for Civil Rights and against hate groups.

ClevelandUrbanNews.Com and the KathyWrayColemanOnlineNewsBlog.Com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspapers with some 5 million readers on Google Plus alone. Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, and who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.