The Virginia Supreme Court rules that the Robert E. Lee statue can come down after a bitter fight
The Virginia Supreme Court has paved the way for the removal of a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee, which Democrat Gov. Ralph Northam controversially ordered removed last year.
A group of residents and a descendant of signatories who granted the deed to the property where the statue is located had sued the state shortly after Northam’s announcement in June 2020, claiming it had no authority to actually remove the statue, which they had agreed to maintain. it forever in the original deed.
Following a ruling in the state’s favor in October, a peal took the road to the Supreme Court, signifying a likely end to the bitter battle over the state’s location in Richmond, which became particularly fierce following the governor’s announcement.
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that restrictions in the state’s original agreement are “Not enforced as contrary to public order and to be unreasonable because their effect is to force the speech of the government by forcing the Commonwealth to forever express a message which it now disagrees with."
According to the 7-0 decision, “Values are changing, and so is public policy," to give the state the right to remove the statue if they so choose. Continued display of the Robert E. Lee statue and a memorial to him in the form of a public memorial “Communicates principles that many believe are incompatible with the values that the Commonwealth currently wants to express."
The court’s decision was met with mixed reactions, with some praising the verdict and celebrating “good news."
Man, if Robert E. Lee is to be in trend in the United States, he really should be next door #Chump and #Taber.
- Conor P. Williams (@ConorPWilliams) September 2, 2021
Others argued that the court had essentially allowed the state a way out of an agreement to earn a cultural victory.
A sad day for the history of the virgins and the rule of law - whether a contract “forces the government to speak” or not, the government, as individuals, has obligations to uphold their legal agreements. https://t.co/I0WGl6G0Un
- Caesar A. Schanzenbach (@CaesarSch) September 2, 2021
That’s the way it is. These statues are still brilliant pieces of architecture and should be preserved. Because you can not change the story, but you can decide not to keep someone like Robert e lee on a pedestal. Definitely the right way to do this.
- Thomas Cuano (@TTMGModifiedguy) September 2, 2021
Similar to arguments against other statues and monuments commemorating Confederate military service members, Northam argued in his original statement that the Robert E. Lee statue sends the wrong message to children and people visiting the state capital.
In a statement responding to the new ruling, Northam called the imminent removal of the statue a “Huge gain for the people of Virginia."
Today’s unanimous decision is about moving beyond the past. Step by step, Virginia is building a more inclusive future - where the Commonwealth no longer glorifies the Confederacy. pic.twitter.com/RjBkQ44BwC
- Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) September 2, 2021
His original decision came days after George Floyd’s death in Minneolis while in police custody. When footage of Floyd’s last moments started a storm of Black Lives Matter protests across the country, some focused on public memorials to historical figures considered racist by modern standards.
BREAKING🚨 We have won the case to remove the Robert E. Lee statue from Monument Avenue. The Supreme Court of Virginia has dissolved all injunctions and the statue can now come down. A big win for a more inclusive Commonwealth! pic.twitter.com/Fdtl8wU0YB
- Mark Herring (@MarkHerringVA) September 2, 2021
A statue of Robert E. Lee was also taken down in Charlottesville, Virginia two months ago. This statue stood on the site of the infamous ‘Unite the Right’ protest in 2017, which led to the death of a protester.
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