After at least one person was killed in Virginia following violent clashes between white nationalists and counter protesters, former US president Barack Obama took to Twitter on Sunday to express his thoughts on race and religion. Quoting anti-apartheid politician Nelson Mandela, Obama wrote that “no one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.”

In a series of three tweets, Obama shared his thoughts on race and religion in the wake of the violent clashes that injured at least 20 others. “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite – Nelson Mandela,” Obama tweeted with a photo of himself interacting with kids from different racial backgrounds.

On Saturday, a 32-year-old woman was killed after a car plowed into a group of peaceful protesters demonstrating against what was touted to be one of the biggest white nationalist rallies in a decade.

Two Virginia policeman also lost their lives nearby following a helicopter crash near the protest site in Charlottesville, Virginia. The two had assisted in efforts to contain the clashes. A state of emergency has been declared by the authorities and security forces have been deployed in the area in riot gears.