Gen. Lee statue can be removed, Virginia Supreme Court rules

BY DENISE LAVOIE and SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that the state can take down an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond. The 1890 monument was once celebrated but is now widely seen as a symbol of white supremacy and Black oppression. The court’s ruling on Thursday came in two lawsuits filed by private citizens who attempted to block the statue’s removal. Gov. Ralph Northam announced his plan to take down the statue last June, 10 days after George Floyd’s death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer sparked widespread protests in cities across the country, including Richmond.