RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – The last standing Confederate statue on Monument Avenue will come down after more than a year of legal battles.
General Robert E. Lee has stood on his pedestal since the bronze statue was erected in 1890. Now, the Supreme Court of Virginia ruled in favor of the state clearing the way for its removal.
Calls to remove the monument to the Confederate hero intensified in 2020 following the death of George Floyd and protests for racial justice across the nation and at home. In June of last year, Gov. Ralph Northam asked the Virginia Department of General Services to remove the statue as soon as possible.
Two lawsuits aimed to keep the statue in place made their way to the Supreme Court of Virginia. Following today’s ruling on behalf of the state, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring said on Twitter that the decision is a “big win for a more inclusive Commonwealth.”
PHOTOS OF THE ROBERT E. LEE MONUMENT IN RICHMOND































The Associated Press contributed to this report