'Please son, renounce the hate': Father disowns Charlottesville protest son in open letter

The father of a man who was identified from pictures after attending the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville has written a heart-wrenching open letter disowning his son.

Pearce Tefft, appearing distraught and baffled, wrote that he did not know where his son learned his "twisted worldview".

He wrote in a local paper: "[My son] once joked, 'the thing about us fascists is, it’s not that we don’t believe in freedom of speech. You can say whatever you want. We’ll just throw you in an oven.'

"Peter, you will have to shovel our bodies into the oven, too. Please son, renounce the hate, accept and love all."

Peter Tefft, from Fargo, North Dakota, was identified from photographs of him at the rally which were widely circulated on social media.

He then appeared to confirm he was at the rally, writing on Facebook; "Ultimately, this was a victory for us. Our movement will be emboldened by Charlottesville".

Mr Tefft also posted a photograph of himself in the area before the rally.

He is the youngest son of Pearce Tefft, who wrote: "On Friday night, my son traveled to Charlottesville, Va., and was interviewed by a national news outlet while marching with reported white nationalists, who allegedly went on to kill a person.

"I, along with all of his siblings and his entire family, wish to loudly repudiate my son’s vile, hateful and racist rhetoric and actions. We do not know specifically where he learned these beliefs. He did not learn them at home.

"I have shared my home and hearth with friends and acquaintances of every race, gender and creed. I have taught all of my children that all men and women are created equal. That we must love each other all the same."

He also wrote that he knew of his son's beliefs, but had remained silent about them.

He said: "Evidently Peter has chosen to unlearn these lessons, much to my and his family’s heartbreak and distress. We have been silent up until now, but now we see that this was a mistake. It was the silence of good people that allowed the Nazis to flourish the first time around, and it is the silence of good people that is allowing them to flourish now."

Pearce Tefft then went on to say he and the family had decided to disown his youngest son, saying he is no longer welcome at family gatherings until he renounces his beliefs.

He wrote: "Peter Tefft, my son, is not welcome at our family gatherings any longer. I pray my prodigal son will renounce his hateful beliefs and return home. Then and only then will I lay out the feast."

Mr Tefft also wrote that the family had faced abuse following the revelations about his son: "His hateful opinions are bringing hateful rhetoric to his siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews as well as his parents. Why must we be guilty by association? Again, none of his beliefs were learned at home. We do not, never have, and never will, accept his twisted worldview."