The mother of the woman killed in Charlottesville during last summer's white nationalist rally and counter-protests will be watching this weekend's Unite the Right 2 rally in D.C. with interest.
In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 photo, Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, looks over memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va. "I just would like people to focus on the anniversary, not on Heather, but on the issues that she died for, Black Lives Matter, overpolicing, affordable housing, for more truth and the telling of the history of Charlottesville, and to focus on where they need to go as a community,” Bro said. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Susan Bro, the mother of Charlottesville car attack victim, Heather Heyer, speaks to reporters outside federal court in Charlottesville, Va., Thursday, July 5, 2018. Bro attended the hearing for James Alex Fields who is charged with hate crimes as a result of the white nationalist rally last year. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Susan Bro, the mother of Charlottesville car attack victim, Heather Heyer, right, and her husband Kim Bro, left, walks out of federal court in Charlottesville, Va., Thursday, July 5, 2018. Bro attended the hearing for James Alex Fields who is charged with hate crimes in the deadly car attack on a crowd of protesters opposing a white nationalist rally in Virginia. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Susan Bro, the mother of Charlottesville car attack victim, Heather Heyer, walks out of federal court in Charlottesville, Va., Thursday, July 5, 2018. Bro attended a hearing for James Alex Fields who is charged with hate crimes in the deadly car attack on a crowd of protesters opposing a white nationalist rally in Virginia. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 photo, a tree holding notes written to Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, and left at her funeral sits on top of a cabinet in the office of her mother Susan Bro in Charlottesville, Va. "I just would like people to focus on the anniversary, not on Heather, but on the issues that she died for, Black Lives Matter, overpolicing, affordable housing, for more truth and the telling of the history of Charlottesville, and to focus on where they need to go as a community,” Bro said. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 photo, Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, display's memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va. "I just would like people to focus on the anniversary, not on Heather, but on the issues that she died for, Black Lives Matter, overpolicing, affordable housing, for more truth and the telling of the history of Charlottesville, and to focus on where they need to go as a community,” Bro said. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 photo, Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, looks over memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va. “I just would like people to focus on the anniversary, not on Heather, but on the issues that she died for, Black Lives Matter, overpolicing, affordable housing, for more truth and the telling of the history of Charlottesville, and to focus on where they need to go as a community,” Bro said. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2018 photo, Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, looks over memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va. "I just would like people to focus on the anniversary, not on Heather, but on the issues that she died for, Black Lives Matter, overpolicing, affordable housing, for more truth and the telling of the history of Charlottesville, and to focus on where they need to go as a community,” Bro said. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
A tree holding notes written to Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, and left at her funeral sits on top of a cabinet in the office of her mother Susan Bro in Charlottesville, Va., Monday, Aug. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, looks over memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va., Monday, Aug. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
AP Photo/Steve Helber
Susan Bro, mother of Heather Heyer, who was killed during the Unite the Right rally last year, looks over memorabilia in her office in Charlottesville, Va., Monday, Aug. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
WASHINGTON — As the nation’s capital prepares for a white nationalist protest and counterprotests, the mother of Heather Heyer, who was hit and killed by a speeding car during Charlottesville, Virginia’s Unite The Right event last year will be watching with interest.
“It’ll be interesting to see how that pans out,” said Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, in an interview for the ABC News Radio podcast “Start Here.”
Bro’s daughter, 32, was killed as she and other counterprotesters were struck by a car allegedly driven by James Alex Fields, Jr., who will go on trial for Heyer’s murder, malicious wounding of other victims, and federal hate crimes.
She expects police and government officials in the nation’s capital — the site of countless demonstrations and public events — will be prepared for the white nationalist demonstration.
“I’m curious as to how Washington will receive them, after seeing how they behaved in Charlottesville last year,” Bro said. “I think people will be a little more wary and cautious of them now, as far as not putting up with nonsense.”
Bro, as well as several local and state politicians and community groups have said Charlottesville police were overwhelmed on Aug. 12, 2017.
“The police did absolutely nothing last year, but stand by,” Bro said.
Police have been unveiling their plans for this weekend’s Unite the Right 2, with a Sunday afternoon rally at Lafayette Square.
Bro said even though no major events are planned for the this weekend in Charlottesville, the one-year-anniversary has prompted a locked-down town.
“I’m curious how D.C. is going to deal with (the incoming white nationalists) because D.C. does not lock down easily,” Bro said. “D.C. has a lot more public transportation, (and) ways in and out.”
Neal Augenstein has been a general assignment reporter with WTOP since 1997. He says he looks forward to coming to work every day, even though that means waking up at 3:30 a.m.
