CNN: Largest Standing Confederate Statue of Robert E. Lee Comes Down in Richmond, Virginia Today

KEILAR Underway now a ░░░░░░░░ ton statue of General ░░░░░░░░ E Lee is being ░░░░░░░░ down in Richmond Virginia ░░░░░░░░ largest standing Confederate statue ░░░░░░░░ the country will be ░░░░░░░░ in storage until a ░░░░░░░░ is made about its ░░░░░░░░ Joe Johns is live ░░░░░░░░ us on the scene ░░░░░░░░ Richmond this morning You ░░░░░░░░ Joe for people who ░░░░░░░░ t been to Richmond ░░░░░░░░ don t know you ░░░░░░░░ t really overstate how ░░░░░░░░ this is to that ░░░░░░░░ thoroughfare that this is ░░░░░░░░ down JOHNS That s ░░░░░░░░ right Brianna And the ░░░░░░░░ of this among other ░░░░░░░░ besides the fact that ░░░░░░░░ have been these statues ░░░░░░░░ Confederate figures all over ░░░░░░░░ country that have been ░░░░░░░░ down over the last ░░░░░░░░ Here this is Richmond ░░░░░░░░ Virginia was almost throughout ░░░░░░░░ Civil War the capital ░░░░░░░░ the Confederacy Robert E ░░░░░░░░ was the key general ░░░░░░░░ so many of the ░░░░░░░░ battles Antietam Gettysburg Bull ░░░░░░░░ and part of the ░░░░░░░░ of this city So ░░░░░░░░ a huge moment for ░░░░░░░░ to come down Let ░░░░░░░░ set the scene for ░░░░░░░░ a little bit as ░░░░░░░░ work continues to get ░░░░░░░░ statue down A small ░░░░░░░░ has gathered and over ░░░░░░░░ I think it s ░░░░░░░░ clear some of those ░░░░░░░░ who were among the ░░░░░░░░ who were out here ░░░░░░░░ year ago protesting the ░░░░░░░░ E Lee statue Just ░░░░░░░░ little while ago I ░░░░░░░░ the governor of Virginia ░░░░░░░░ would have been over ░░░░░░░░ right shoulder there he ░░░░░░░░ gone now he is ░░░░░░░░ of the people who ░░░░░░░░ set this whole thing ░░░░░░░░ motion after the protests ░░░░░░░░ What he did was ░░░░░░░░ he wanted this statue ░░░░░░░░ come down despite the ░░░░░░░░ despite the fact that ░░░░░░░░ s been here 131 ░░░░░░░░ And that set into ░░░░░░░░ a legal fight that ░░░░░░░░ on until just the ░░░░░░░░ couple weeks where the ░░░░░░░░ court of Virginia cleared ░░░░░░░░ way for the statue ░░░░░░░░ come down So those ░░░░░░░░ are the most important ░░░░░░░░ you have to say ░░░░░░░░ this The other thing ░░░░░░░░ think it s important ░░░░░░░░ came out in all ░░░░░░░░ the court action that ░░░░░░░░ statue was pretty much ░░░░░░░░ up as part of ░░░░░░░░ cause ideology which a ░░░░░░░░ of people who study ░░░░░░░░ will remember that essentially ░░░░░░░░ the Civil War and ░░░░░░░░ Confederate States of America ░░░░░░░░ were a very good ░░░░░░░░ slavery was beneficial and ░░░░░░░░ on So that s ░░░░░░░░ background Probably by noon ░░░░░░░░ Time we re told ░░░░░░░░ everything goes well the ░░░░░░░░ will be done will ░░░░░░░░ down A page in ░░░░░░░░ history of the United ░░░░░░░░ and certainly of Richmond ░░░░░░░░ will be turned Back ░░░░░░░░ you KEILAR Yeah really ░░░░░░░░ changed here in modern ░░░░░░░░ It s we see ░░░░░░░░ painstaking work that you ░░░░░░░░ giving us a glimpse ░░░░░░░░ Joe And we ll ░░░░░░░░ checking out checking in ░░░░░░░░ you throughout the day ░░░░░░░░ you.”