Richmond Robert E Lee statue coming down Wednesday
Robert E. Lee statue can be removed, rules Virginia Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that the state can take down an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond. The 1890 monument was once celebrated but is now widely seen as a symbol of white supremacy and Black oppression.
RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond’s controversial Robert E. Lee monument will finally be removed on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Robert E. Lee statue can be removed, Virginia Supreme Court rules
The largest Confederate statue has been the center of a flurry of court battles since Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced plans to take it down last June.
Last week, however, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled that the Commonwealth can remove the contentious statue.
Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather
Northam’s announcement came in the wake of massive protests against police violence in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
During the protests, statues and monuments celebrating the Confederacy or racist figures in the nation’s past were torn down as a matter of course.
VIRGINIA PLAZA THAT ONCE HONORED ROBERT E. LEE TO BE RENAMED, CITY COUNCIL DECIDES
Preparations for removing the statue will begin Tuesday at 6 p.m., when crews will set up protective fencing around it.
The 40-foot granite base will remain in place for now.
The 1890 monument was once celebrated but is now widely seen as a symbol of white supremacy and Black oppression.
The Associated Press contributed to this report