In Virginia, work crews removed a monument to Confederate Army leader Robert E. Lee near the state Capitol in Richmond Thursday, more than a year after Democratic Governor Ralph Northam ordered it taken down. Hundreds of onlookers cheered as the 21-foot statue to General Lee was taken off its pedestal and cut into pieces. This is Richmond resident Charles Otey.

Charles Otey: “It’s a long time coming. I’m a native of Richmond. I’ve been here all my life. I’m 60-some years old. And so I’ve been passing through and seeing this. For it to finally come down, man, it’s a moment of joy for me, because it represents so much oppression, depression, because who Robert E. Lee represented.”

Former President Trump blasted the statue’s removal, saying in a statement, “Our culture is being destroyed and our history and heritage, both good and bad, are being extinguished by the Radical Left, and we can’t let that happen. If only we had Robert E. Lee to command our troops in Afghanistan,” Trump added, to the bewilderment of many.

General Robert E. Lee was a staunch defender of slavery who led the Confederate Army until its defeat in 1865. The Civil War killed an estimated 750,000 people.