Protesters pulled down this 15-foot-tall statue of a Confederate soldier Monday night, Aug. 14, 2017, on East Main Street in downtown Durham.
Posted on 08/14/2017 7:19:49 PM PDT by TaxPayer2000
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) – A crowd of protesters gathered outside the old Durham County courthouse on Main Street Monday evening in opposition to a Confederate monument in front of the government building.
Around 7:10 p.m. a woman using a ladder climbed the statue of a soldier and attached a rope around the statue.
Moments later, the crowd pulled on the rope and the statue fell. One man quickly ran up and spat on the statue and several others began kicking it.
Durham police later said they monitored the protests to make sure they were “safe” but did not interfere with the statue toppling because it happened on county property.
“Because this incident occurred on county property, where county law enforcement officials were staffed, no arrests were made by DPD officers,” Durham Police spokesman Wil Glenn said in a statement.
Durham County Sheriff’s deputies videotaped the statue being brought down — but didn’t stop it from happening.
After toppling the statue, the protesters started marching. They blocked traffic with authorities trying to stay ahead of them. The protesters made their way down East Main Street to the site of the new Durham Police Department.
In 1924, the Confederate statue was dedicated to Durham.
Engraved on the front of the monument is “The Confederate States of America.”
Above it, was the statue representing a soldier who fought in the civil war.
Later Monday night, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper Tweeted: “The racism and deadly violence in Charlottesville is unacceptable but there is a better way to remove these monuments.”
“It needs to be removed,” Loan Tran, an organizer, said earlier Monday. “These Confederate statues in Durham, in North Carolina, all across the country.”
There are similar monuments in several cities around North Carolina.
Tran doesn’t want to see it anymore.
“When I see a Confederate statue in downtown Durham, or really anywhere, it fills me with a lot of rage and frustration,” she said.
Organizers say Monday’s protest was a reaction to the events in Charlottesville this past weekend.
“People can be mobilized and people are angry and when enough people are angry, we don’t have to look to politicians to sit around in air conditions and do nothing when we can do things ourselves,” said Takiyah Thompson, a protester.
In an email to CBS North Carolina, Durham County spokeswoman Dawn Dudley says:
“ “Due to a North Carolina state law passed a few years ago, Durham County is prohibited from removing or making substantive alteration to historical monuments and memorials. I share this to say that there is a statute in place making the efforts you mention below difficult to move forward. I would assume that the only thing possible are steps to reverse the law.”
This statue has been the center of controversy before after graffiti was spray painted on it a few years ago.
The group that met Monday say their purpose is to “smash white supremacy.”
So if we want to tear down statues or monuments we don’t like, it’s OK and the police will just stand aside and make sure we are safe doing it?
Surely they will be charged with destruction of public property. Right?
Where was the genuine statue??
What business is it for an Asian (”Loan Tran”) to pull down a Confederate statue, which had nothing to do with her? This smells strongly of Soros or similar payoffs being given to useless idiots like this to start up trouble.
said Takiyah Thompson, a protester.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His name is “lie to the infidels” Thompson.
And I doubt there will be any consequences.
The left becomes more like ISIS every single day.
When they start tearing down every single sign with Robert Sheets Byrd (D-KKK)’s name on it and pi$$ing on his grave then I’ll consider their outrage over history may have an ounce of merit.
And is that “law enforcement” on the steps videoing ??
Will Sessions and the FBI start an investigation for destruction of public
property?
Wondering how long it will take the global Communists to want to blow Washington’s face off Mt Rushmore because he was a slave owner.
What is the point of having police when they sit idly by and not stop vandalism and riots?
Just like in Charlotsville :
Charlotsville “Unite the Right” Organizer Was Occupy Wall St. Activist & Obama Supporter!
We can start by pulling that MLK monstrosity in Wash DC down. And then piss on it.
This is a hate crime.
Wikipedia list 18 presidents that owned slaves, starting with
Washington who held over 300 Jefferson 600. When will we tear their monuments down ?
A group formed over time.
A ladder was brought to the scene.
People climbed up, and pulled down the statue, and WHERE THE HELL WERE THE POLICE for this illegal gathering, vandalism, etc?
When I decide to break the law, it’s going to be horrific.
Mr Sessions, part of your job is to prevent these provocations.
Soon.
Followed by the country itself.
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