A Confederate monument that helped spark a violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., nearly four years ago has been hoisted off its stone pedestal. Work to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee began early Saturday morning shortly after Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker gave a speech in front of reporters and observers as a crane neared the monument. The removal of the statue of the Confederate general follows years of contention, community anguish and litigation. Crews were also expected to take down a second Confederate monument depicting Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker, left, seen here with activist Zyahna Bryant, speaks to reporters Saturday before workers began removing a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from Market Street Park in Charlottesville, Va. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)Only the statues, not their stone pedestals, were to be removed.

Source: CBC News July 10, 2021 11:49 UTC