BREAKING: More than a year after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ordered the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the state's capital, the 12-ton, six-story monument has come down. Onlookers chanted 'Black Lives Matter' during the removal.
Daniel Sangjib Min/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, FILEThe removal is"extremely complex," the state's Department of General Services said, requiring"coordination with multiple entities to ensure the safety of everyone involved." The removal process began Tuesday evening with crews installing protective fencing on the streets near the monument.
On Thursday, crews will remove plaques from the base of the monument. The 40-foot granite pedestal will remain for now, with its future still to be determined, the state said. The statue itself will be held"in secure storage at a state-owned facility until a decision is made as to its disposition," the state said.This is the sixth and final Confederate statue to be removed from Monument Avenue.
"We are taking an important step this week to embrace the righteous cause and put the 'Lost Cause' behind us," Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney said in a statement."Richmond is no longer the capital of the Confederacy. We are a diverse, open and welcoming city, and our symbols need to reflect this reality."The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Va., Jan. 17, 2021.from the Old House Chamber in the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond.
A great-great-great-nephew of Lee has previously said that taking down Confederate symbols in public spaces is a"no brainer."."They have been created into idols of white supremacy and racism."
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