Plans to move Madison County Confederate monument on hold

Plans to move Madison County Confederate monument on hold

Plans to move the confederate statue in front of the madison county courthouse are now at a standstill.

The meeting where the county commission planned on asking to move it - was canceled!

The next one isn't for 4 months.

The news led to a march today in front of the statue.

Local organizers say they will continue to protest until the monument is removed.

Waay 31's ashley carter was there today and spoke to the organizers.

Ashley?

First and foremost they said they were very disappointed to hear the meeting had been cancelled.

But they said the fight must go on until this statue is taken down ... even if that means marching here once a week until october.

> <nats chants.....signs....a moment of silence and a song all in front of the madison county confederate monument.

Organizers told me it has to go.

Frederick whitlow, march organizer: "at the end of the day it's just a matter of moving, and then you have people that say hey if there's a cost it should be incurred that we'll take care of that because we believe - black, brown, white and whatever believe that our city is not a city to maintain those type of belief systems."

Frederick whitlow organized the march today.

He's a part of a collective group who's called on the county commission to immediately remove of the statue.

Under state law, if local governments remove confederate monuments themselves - it's a 25-thousand dollar fine.

The madison county commission is working to 'legally move the statue.

The next step in the process was to ask the state's monument protection committee for a waiver during their july 9th meeting.

Graphic county commission chairman dale strong said in part - quote 'while disappointed the committee meeting was canceled, i feel we have the strongest of cases to lawfully preserve and relocate this monument to maple hill cemetery.

I trust the 11 members of the committee will objectively hear our case in october and deliver a favorable authorization to relocate this monument."

Whitlow says even though he's disappointed the commission won't remove the monument in the meantime - he and other organizers aren't giving up the fight.

John brown, local organizer: "we're not going to stop, we're not going to let up until this monument is down."

Frederick whitlow, march organizer: me: "are you guys prepared to take the fight all the way to october'?

"all the way, yes ma'am all the way to the end."> the state committee told me they canceled the meeting because it was only scheduled to review administrative rules.

But - that process ended in april, so they didn't meet today.

The next meeting is scheduled for october 1st... live in hsv ashley c waay 31 news.