Richmond, Va. — A Virginia city council has rejected a proposal to facilitate the removal of Confederate statues.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports the Richmond City Council voted against Councilman Michael Jones’ proposal to ask the Virginia General Assembly to grant the city authority to remove the Monument Avenue statues on Monday.
Following a public hearing in which 13 people spoke in favor of Jones’ proposal and 10 people spoke against it, six councilmembers said they could not support it as Mayor Levar Stoney’s Monument Avenue Commission hasn’t yet finished its public engagement process and rendered recommendations.
Jones introduced the proposal in September, following August’s violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.
Monument Avenue features statues of Confederates Robert E. Lee, J.E.B. Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Matthew Fontaine Maury.
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