4 Men Charged With Inciting Violence At 2017 Charlottesville Protests

Four more people now face charges linked to last year's violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Four California men were arrested Tuesday on charges of violating the Riot Act and conspiracy to violate the Riot Act. Each defendant could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

Investigators say the four men contributed to the violence during a torch march on Aug. 11, 2017 and the "Unite the Right" rally the following day. The criminal complaint says some of that violence left people seriously injured. 

The U.S. attorney in western Virginia said: "This wasn't, in our view, the lawful exercise of First Amendment rights. These guys came to Charlottesville in order to commit violent acts, and it wasn't the first time they'd done it."

These charges are not linked to the death of counterprotester Heather Heyer. 

The U.S. attorney's office said its investigation into last year's events is ongoing. Federal hate crime charges and civil rights charges could be filed at a later date.