The city council in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy, passed a resolution Monday to petition the state legislature for permission to take down or modify its Confederate statutes. Virginia state law allows local governments to erect war monuments, but prohibits the local governments from taking them down or modifying them. The law prohibits local governments from moving the monuments or adding placards explaining why they were erected. The resolution passed by a vote of 6-2, said Councilmember Chris Hilbert who voted for the resolution. Under the resolution, the city of Richmond will ask the General Assembly to...