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Richmond Struggles with Fate of Confederate Monuments

Jefferson Davis Monument
creative commons
Jefferson Davis Monument

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Hundreds of people in Richmond have packed a contentious community meeting to weigh in on what should be done with the city's Confederate monuments.

Local media report more than 500 people gathered Wednesday night at the Virginia Historical Society and more were turned away due to space restrictions. The meeting was the first of two public comment sessions that have been scheduled as a commission studies adding context to the statues or building new ones.

Mayor Levar Stoney has said he does not think the statues should be removed, though a number of speakers said that option should be on the table. Others said the monuments should be untouched.

Attendees at times shouted, cheered, booed and cried. Another community meeting is set for next month.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.