US President Donald Trump has condemned racist violence in Virginia days after clashes and terror that saw three die over the weekend.

"Racism is evil," Trump said in an address after continued criticism of his lacklustre response to violent scenes in the city of Charlottesville on Saturday.

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"Those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans," Trump said. The president also said that "anyone who acted criminally" would be held accountable.

One person was killed and 19 injured after a car allegedly driven by James Fields drove into a crowd of people protesting marches by white supremacist groups around the city that houses the University of Virginia.

Fields was denied bail in a hearing on Monday morning. He is accused of killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer in the attack.

Though Trump has now spoken out some have mentioned that he has still not called the attack terrorism. Multiple reports describes Fields as a neo-Nazi from Ohio with no links to Charlottesville.

'Alt-right' protests have centred on Charlottesville after the city announced that they would take down a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee.

Trump had previously condemned hatred "on both sides" and faced continuing criticism for not singling out white supremacists. Charlottesville's mayor, Michael Signer has not held back his pointed criticism of the president, saying that his presidential campaign had emboldened racist groups in the America.

"I think they made a choice in that campaign, a very regrettable one, to really go to peoples prejudices, to go to the gutter," Signer said on NBC.

Donald Trump