CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Work to remove a Confederate monument that was the scene of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, nearly four years ago started Saturday morning.
The removal of the bronze statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee riding atop his horse Traveller comes nearly four years after violence erupted at a “Unite the Right” rally in the city, which left counterprotester Heather Heyer dead.
The violence sparked a national debate on racial equity.
“Taking down this statue is one small step closer to the goal of helping Charlottesville, Virginia, and America, grapple with the sin of being willing to destroy Black people for economic gain,” Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker said as a crane neared the monument.
The statue and another of Gen. Stonewall Jackson were removed Saturday but will remain on city property until officials determine what to do with them. There are at least 10 groups that are interested in taking the statues.
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Zyahna Bryant was a high school student when she pushed to have the Lee monument removed in 2016. While the petition was successful, a lawsuit was quickly filed as white supremacists took up the issue causing the city to put the plans on hold.
“This is well overdue,” said Bryant, now a student at the University of Virginia. “No platform for white supremacy. No platform for racism. No platform for hate.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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