Rally calls for removal of all Confederate monuments in Jacksonville

3 years ago 251

Counterprotesters besides stitchery astatine City Hall

As radical called for the removal of each Confederate monumnets successful Jacksonville connected Tuesday connected the steps connected City Hall, determination were besides respective counterprotesters.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – About 2 twelve radical with the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville gathered Tuesday astatine City Hall to telephone for the removal of each Confederate monuments successful the city.

The radical is asking the metropolis to instrumentality down the Monument to the Women of the Confederacy that inactive stands, though covered, successful Springfield Park. In the Old City Cemetery, a Confederate gazebo inactive stands.

There were besides 4 counterprotesters astatine City Hall. They told News4Jax they don’t privation to spot the monument successful Springfield Park removed and they privation the politician to enactment a plaque adjacent it to springiness it much context.

In June 2020, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry ordered that the Confederate statue successful what was past known arsenic Hemming Park, present James Weldon Johnson Park, beryllium removed. At that time, Curry besides announced that each Confederate monuments successful the metropolis would beryllium removed. The Northside Coalition said it wants the politician to travel done with that promise.

Earlier this month, the enactment and others rallied peacefully connected the steps of City Hall. The radical past went wrong and marched to the mayor’s office. Before the radical arrived, the doors were locked. A City Hall information defender confronted the radical and said the demonstrators had to go. They refused to leave. Jacksonville sheriff’s officers were besides adjacent but ne'er interrupted the protest. After much songs and chants, the demonstrators left, saying they volition instrumentality with much protests, including astatine Jaguars games, and economical boycotts.

The Southern Poverty Law Center Chief of Staff Lecia Brooks issued a connection Monday, besides calling for the removal of the monuments.

“The SPLC joins the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville and acrophobic assemblage members successful calling for Mayor Curry to travel done connected his pledge to region not lone the shrine successful Springfield Park, but each Confederate monuments littering the metropolis of Jacksonville,” the connection reads, successful part.