The mother of the Ohio white supremacist arrested for allegedly plowing into a group of anti-racist protesters on Saturday (12 August) in Charlottesville said she knew he was attending a rally but believed it was for President Trump.

Samantha Bloom claimed she did not know of her son James Alex Fields Jr. was attending a rally for white nationalists.

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In an interview with The Associated Press in Toledo, Ohio, Bloom said, "I just knew he was going to a rally. I mean, I try to stay out of his political views. You know, we don't, you know, I don't really get too involved, I moved him out to his own apartment, so we—I'm watching his cat."

When told by the AP reporter that the rally was organised by white nationalists, Bloom said she believed it was a rally in support of Trump, before adding, "Trump's not a white supremacist".

In a separate interview with The Blade, Bloom said Fields had dropped off his cat off at her Monclova Township apartment so he could go to an "alt-right" rally in Virginia. "I told him to be careful," Bloom said. "[And] if they're going to rally to make sure he's doing it peacefully."

She maintained that she did not know the scope of the rally's extremist nature. However, when pressed, she appeared to say he had indicated it was an alt-right rally.

"Like I said, I don't really talk to him about his political views," she said. "He just—so I don't really understand what the rally was about or anything, so...I just know there was—he did mention it was 'albright'? What is it? Al—?"

The AP reporter interrupted her, saying, "Alt-right?" To which, she replied, "Albright".

"No, alt-right. It's like alternative right," the reporter corrected.

Bloom told the AP that she was unaware of the incident until she spoke with the AP reporter.

Fields, 20, was charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A 32-year-old woman protesting against white supremacists was killed and 19 others were injured. Fields' bond hearing is scheduled for Monday (14 August).