The city of Charlottesville, Virginia, removed statues of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson Saturday, Fox News reported.
Surrounding areas were designated for viewing so residents could watch cranes lift the statues, according to Fox News, with a crowd gathering to watch the removal. In one video posted to Twitter, a crowd can be heard cheering and clapping while the statue of Robert E. Lee is lifted. (RELATED: Removing Robert E. Lee’s Statue Oversimplifies History)
charlottesville’s robert e lee statue has been lifted from the plinth pic.twitter.com/3pou4f86dv
— molly conger (@socialistdogmom) July 10, 2021
Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker gave a speech at the gathering and called the removal “one small step forward” in an effort to combat alleged white supremacy, according to Fox News.
The statues will reportedly remain in Charlottesville until they are sold. “During the past month, the City has solicited for expressions of interest from any museum, historical society, government or military battlefield interested in acquiring the statues, or either of them, for relocation and placement. The Charlottesville City Manager has received ten responses thus far – six out of state and four in-state – that are all under review,” read a press release from the city.
Plans to remove the Robert E. Lee statue began in 2016, sparking white supremacist groups to use the statue as a gathering site for events such as the “Unite the Right” rally in 2017, Fox News reported.