Christians on all sides of the political spectrum have vented their shock, horror and fury after white supremacists led marches in Virginia that led to one person being killed.

Clashes between far-right protestors and counter-protestors started after white nationalists planned a rally around a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee which is due to be taken down.

It culminated in a car ramming through a group of peaceful counter protest, killing one woman and injuring at least 19.

Responding to his first domestic crisis, US President Donald Trump said: 'We're closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.'

He added that this had been 'going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. A long, long time.'

He went on: 'What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order.'

Speaking from his New Jersey golf course, he urged Americans to 'love each other, respect each other and cherish our history and our future together. So important. We have to respect each other. Ideally, we have to love each other.'

But he was criticised for not condemning the far-right fully enough but Republican supporters as well as Democrats.

Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, tweeted:

The Anglican Bishop of Leeds wrote: