New Orleans to take down 4 Confederate statues amid pushback
US News
New Orleans to take down 4 Confederate statues amid pushback
Workers in New Orleans began removing the first of four prominent Confederate monuments early Monday, the latest Southern institution to sever itself from symbols viewed by many as representations of racism and white supremacy. Trucks arrived to begin removing the first memorial, one that commemorates whites who tried to topple a biracial post-Civil War government in New Orleans, around 1:25 a.m. in an attempt to avoid disruption from supporters who want the monuments to stay, some of whom have made death threats, city officials said.
There’s a better way to use the property these monuments are on and a way that better reflects who we are.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu
People who want the Confederate memorials removed say they are offensive artifacts honoring the region’s slave-owning past. But others call the monuments part of the city’s history and say they should be protected historic structures. Landrieu refused to say which company the city would be using to remove the statues because of intimidation attempts. Landrieu said the memorials don’t represent his city, which approaches its 300th anniversary next year. The mayor said the city would store the monuments and preserve them until an “appropriate” place to display them is determined.
