Watch the removal of Charlottesville's Robert E. Lee statue

In 2017, various far-right groups gathered together in Charlottesville, Virginia, for the so-called "Unite the Right" rally that turned violent and resulted in the murder of counterprotester Heather Heyer, who was struck by a vehicle driven by a self-identified white supremacist. One of the primary catalysts for the rally was opposition to a push to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. On Saturday, nearly four years later, that statue was removed from its stone pedestal, as was another statue of Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

As the Lee statue was about to come down, CBS News reports, Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker said "taking down this statue is one small step closer to the goal of helping Charlottesville, Virginia, and America, grapple with the sin of being willing to destroy Black people for economic gain."

The statues aren't being destroyed, however. Instead, they'll be kept in a secure location until Charlottesville's city council decides what to do with them long-term.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up