The city of Winston-Salem is in the process of figuring out when and how to remove a controversial statue downtown.
The owners of the property where the statue sits have made requests surrounding the removal, including promises to repair or restore any parts of the property that are disturbed or damaged during the process. It also calls for the city to be responsible for the safety of residents during the extraction.
The city has accepted those requests. In a letter, City Attorney Angela Carmon says she hopes that the statue's removal will minimize or eliminate safety concerns, and restore peace to residents of the apartment building.
A small protest occurred on Friday at the site. Speakers at the event said they would prefer if the city were removing the monument due to it being a "symbol of white supremacy," instead of it being considered a safety concern.
The United Daughter of the Confederacy, which owns the statues, had a deadline of January 31st to remove it or face legal action. The group called the city's threat “shocking” and “dishonorable.”
As of now, a date for relocating the statue hasn't been set, but plans are said to be in the works.