Protesters stood outside the old Hillsborough courthouse last week, rallying with the hope of getting commissioners to change their minds and remove a century old Confederate monument - and their persistence may be paying off.

  • Protest over a Confederate monument  may be gaining momentum. 
  • Idea of moving statue to city-owned cemetery nixed by mayor
  • Initial Commission vote opted to keep statue. Topic will be discussed again July 19

There is talk about the Confederate monument being moved to the Oaklawn Cemetery, which is owned by the City of Tampa, but city officials are already saying they don’t want it on city property.

Mayor Bob Buckhorn tweeted saying, “Not happening on city property…..ever.” 

Since Commissioner Les Miller asked that the monument be given back to its original owners, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, there have been many passionate opinions shared regarding the monument and its current location. 

Even though the vote to keep the monument where it is was close, moving it isn’t off the table yet. 

Miller told the paper he plans on asking his colleagues to remove the monument once again at the July 19 meeting, and Commissioner Victor Crist could be the swing vote. 

Crist is the one who proposed putting up a mural behind the monument that would represent all races and cultures. However, some residents said that isn’t enough and they want the monument removed. 

Crist also tossed around the idea of moving the monument to Veterans Memorial Park or the Myrtle Hill Memorial park, a privately owned cemetery.