The city of Charlottesville, Virginia removed a statue named “At Ready,” depicting a Confederate soldier on a pedestal with cannons on either side and a pile of cannonballs in front of it, Saturday morning to the cheers of dozens of onlookers, NBC News reports.
Located a block away from the location of the Confederate general’s statue that was the focal point of 2017 riot by white supremacists, the statue’s removal was not protested by any organization.
The city broadcast the removal via Facebook Live, attracting 500 viewers, and will continue to broadcast until the base is removed.
According to NBC News, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said in a pre-recorded statement that it was a “historic day” as the state continues efforts “to be more inclusive” and to acknowledge that “racial discrimination is rooted in the laws that ruled our Commonwealth.”
“As we reckon with Virginia’s past,” said Northam, “symbols do matter.”