Norfolk to remove rest of Confederate monument beginning Tuesday

NORFOLK, Va. - The City of Norfolk announced that the downtown Norfolk Confederate monument is set to be removed beginning Tuesday.

Officials say the remaining portion of the monument will be removed starting Tuesday morning in the interest of public safety.

On June 12, Johnny Reb, the statue on top of the monument, was removed after recent protest and after someone was seriously injuredin Portsmouth when a statue fell on that person as protesters pulled it down.

The work is scheduled to take two to four days to complete.

Officials say despite the announcement to remove the monument, the following morning "it was evident from graffiti painted higher on the pillar that individuals were climbing onto the structure."

Norfolk will hold a public hearing on July 7 to decide the relocation of the statue and monument and observe the required thirty-day period to receive further comment on these matters prior to rendering a final decision.

Officials asks everyone to please avoid the areas of East Main Street, Commercial Place, and on nearby sidewalks, while the monument is removed.