Dec 5, 2021 - Politics & Policy

Virginia will remove pedestal of former Robert E. Lee statue, governor says

Ivana Saric

Empty pedestal in Richmond, VA — Empty pedestal of where the statue of Robert E. Lee used to stand on Sept. 8 in Richmond, Va. Photo: Eze Amos/Getty Images

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Sunday plans to remove the remaining pedestal that previously propped up Richmond's Robert E. Lee statue and turn the land over to the city.

Why it matters: This marks a final step in the complete removal of the public memorial to the confederate general, following the statue's removal in September.

The big picture: The process of removing the pedestal is expected to be "substantially complete" by Dec. 31, per the press release.

Sunday's decision is a reversal of Northam's previous stance, which was to allow the pedestal to remain in place, per AP.
The pedestal parts will be stored, "until next steps have been determined," the press release noted.

What they're saying: “This land is in the middle of Richmond, and Richmonders will determine the future of this space,” Northam said in the press release.

“The Commonwealth will remove the pedestal and we anticipate a safe removal and a successful conclusion to this project.”

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Virginia will remove pedestal of former Robert E. Lee statue, governor says

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