Mayor Of Ex-US Confederate Capital Richmond Orders Removal Of Rebel Statues - Statement

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd July, 2020) The mayor of the former US Confederate capital of Richmond in the state of Virginia has ordered the immediate removal of multiple monuments in the city, including Confederate statues, the mayor's office said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Today, Mayor Levar Stoney, using his emergency powers, ordered the immediate removal of multiple monuments in the city, including Confederate statues," the statement said.

Stoney decided that removing the statues was necessary to prevent protesters from gathering amid the novel coronavirus pandemic and to avoid any violent confrontations between demonstrators with opposing views on the issue, the release said.

Stoney also decided to remove the statues in order to speed the healing process fin Richmond given the current racial tensions and the historical legacy of the city.

Confederate monuments in the United States have become a target of far left activists as well as protesters during the ongoing demonstrations that started with the death of African-American man George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. Several state governors have approved the removal of Confederate monuments.