The city of New Orleans is set to remove its fourth and final Confederate-era monument. Unlike the first three statues, the monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee is coming down during the day. Streets near the city’s Lee Circle — where the monument stands — were blocked off by early Friday in preparation for the dismantling that’s scheduled to begin after 9 a.m. CT.  The

city started removing the landmarks in late April after the New Orleans City Council voted in 2015 to remove the four Confederate markers. Recent court rulings cleared the way for the monuments to be removed and relocated following heated public debate and legal fights. The effort to remove New Orleans’ monuments is part of a nationwide debate over Confederate symbols, which some argue represent slavery and injustice and others say represent history and heritage. READ MORE


Advertisement