Judge Halts Removal Of Confederate Memorial At Arlington Cemetery
A judge has temporarily halted the removal of a Confederate memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, just hours after work to remove the memorial had begun.
The military-wide effort to remove Confederate symbols from bases and other facilities across the country met resistance Monday after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order requested by a group called Defend Arlington.
Workers prepare a Confederate memorial for removal in Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, Dec. 18 in Arlington, Virginia.
A lawsuit by the group accuses the Army, which runs the cemetery dedicated to soldiers, of violating regulations in seeking to remove the memorial.
“The removal will desecrate, damage, and likely destroy the Memorial long standing at ANC as a grave marker and impede the Memorial’s eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places,” the lawsuit says.
The statue, unveiled in 1914 and meant to be a monument to the American South, features a Black woman depicted as “Mammy” and an enslaved man following his owner to war.
More than 40 House Republicans signed a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin last week arguing the statue should not be removed.
A hearing on the fate of the statue will be held Wednesday.
