Workers in New Orleans removed the first of four prominent Confederate monuments this morning, becoming the latest Southern institution to sever itself from symbols viewed by many as a representation racism and white supremacy.
The Associated Press reports the Liberty Place monument, which commemorates whites who tried to topple a biracial post-Civil War government in New Orleans, was taken away on a truck in pieces around 5:35 a.m. after a few hours of work.
Baton Rouge-based H&O Investments was previously hired to take down the monuments, but the company backed out last year after its owner and staff received death threats. Today’s removal happened early in the morning in an attempt to avoid disruption from supporters who want the monuments to stay, some of whom city officials say have made death threats.
Workers who took the monument down today could be seen wearing bulletproof vests, military-style helmets and scarves that obscured their faces. Police were also on hand, including officers who watched the area from atop the parking garage of a nearby hotel.
Three other statues to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis will be removed in later days now that legal challenges have been overcome.
The majority black City Council in 2015 voted 6-1 to approve plans to take the statues down, but legal battles over their fate have prevented the removal until now, says Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who proposed the monuments’ removal and rode to victory twice with overwhelming support from the city’s black residents.
