In response to the Virginia rally, protesters in North Carolina have pulled down a statue of a Confederate soldier.
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Demonstrators gathered at the Old Durham County courthouse Monday night and during the protest, someone climbed a ladder and tied a rope to the statue.
A Confederate statue in Durham, NC was brought down today by people protesting the Charlottesville rally: https://t.co/yFdokBJMkc pic.twitter.com/wMUGDHAXRn
— News 13 (@MyNews13) August 15, 2017
The crowd cheered and broke into chants saying "the people united, will never be defeated."
Several people then ran up to the statue, kicking it and spitting on it.
The 15-foot-high granite and bronze statue was dedicated to soldiers who fought in the Civil War and has stood outside the courthouse since 1924.
Durham Police posted a statement on Facebook saying the sheriff's office has jurisdiction over all county buildings and landmarks.
Durham Police Department statement regarding protest at county courthouse. https://t.co/9yvtauzK9n
— DurhamPoliceNC (@DurhamPoliceNC) August 15, 2017
Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper reacted on Twitter.
The racism and deadly violence in Charlottesville is unacceptable but there is a better way to remove these monuments #durham - RC
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 15, 2017
A city council member Charlie Reece posted screenshots of this email exchange. Someone asked the council to consider removing the statue, to which he replied: "I don't think there is a confederate statue in downtown Durham any longer."
I get emails.
— Charlie Reece (@CharlieReece) August 15, 2017
I send emails in reply. pic.twitter.com/48uK4fay3q
The Duke Chronicle, a student run newspaper of Duke University, posted this picture of what is left of the statue.
All that's left of Durham's Confederate monument. The statue was hollow so was removed quickly. pic.twitter.com/om4qM7jBXP
— The (Duke) Chronicle (@DukeChronicle) August 15, 2017