ROANOKE, Va. – The Robert E. Lee Memorial in downtown Roanoke has been knocked over.
PHOTOS: The Robert E. Lee Memorial in downtown Roanoke was found knocked over earlier this morning by one of our crews. We are working to get more information https://10.wsls.com/30H73Ts
Posted by WSLS 10 / WSLS.com on Thursday, July 23, 2020
The activist group “No Justice No Peace -- Roanoke” has released a statement saying that they are not responsible for what happened to the monument.
We had nothing to do with this, and we can admire the work of what I assume was Mother Nature, Fate and Justice.
Posted by No Justice No Peace - Roanoke on Thursday, July 23, 2020
This comes after the Roanoke City Council started the process to possibly remove the monument from Lee Plaza across from city hall by setting up a public hearing on Aug. 17.
In 2017, the monument was spraypainted with the words “Rest in Power Heather Heyer.”
The Robert E. Lee monument has been in Lee Plaza for just shy of 60 years.
The obelisk was dedicated on Oct. 5, 1960, by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
A 10 News crew discovered the knocked over monument Thursday morning after a tip from a viewer. We have reached out to Roanoke City Police for more information and are awaiting a response.