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Baltimore Removes Confederate Statues as National Movement Grows

HeadlineAug 16, 2017

On Capitol Hill, members of the Congressional Black Caucus revived calls Tuesday for the removal of Confederate monuments from the halls of Congress. Meanwhile, officials in Baltimore removed at least two Confederate statues overnight, after protesters covered the city’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument in red paint and after Baltimore’s City Council voted unanimously on Monday to remove them. This is Baltimore City Councilmember Brandon Scott.

Brandon Scott: “The folks that are displayed in these monuments were traitors to the United States of America. And we should not honor traitors with monuments anywhere within our country. These monuments are being used as beacons of lightning for the vile racism that’s being spit out by 'alt-right' and fringe groups throughout this country. And we should not be part of that.”

In Memphis, Tennessee, a large crowd linked arms Tuesday and surrounded a monument to former Confederate President Jefferson Davis, calling for the statue’s removal.

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