Charlottesville set to remove Confederate statues on Saturday

The City of Charlottesville will conduct a removal project for its two Confederate statues on Saturday.

Preparations around Market Street Park and Court Square Park will begin on Friday, and include the installation of protective fencing and the posting of notices identifying No Parking zones.

On Saturday, only the statuary will be removed. Their stone bases will be left in place temporarily and removed at a later date.

Through the resolution passed by Charlottesville City Council on June 7, the city manager is authorized to cover and/or remove the statues for placement in storage.

City Council has the sole authority to determine the ultimate, final disposition of the statues. The city manager is not authorized to destroy the statues or to sell them without further action by City Council.

Both statues will be stored in a secure location on city property until City Council makes a final decision on disposition.

During the past month, the city has solicited for expressions of interest from any museum, historical society, government or military battlefield interested in acquiring the statues, or either of them, for relocation and placement.

The city has received 10 responses thus far – six out of state and four in-state – that are all under review.

Public viewing areas

Designated public viewing areas for the removals will be established in both parks. The city will rely on its local media partners to broadcast the event for the public that wishes to watch remotely.

The exact schedule of the removal project is subject to change and may be impacted by weather and other site conditions.

Protective fencing will safely separate the public from the work zone.

Street closures

To ensure appropriate access for the equipment, numerous streets and sidewalks will be closed from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Saturday (a 24-hour period, all of Saturday). A map of the closures and restrictions, as well as a detailed street-by-street breakdown, can be found here.

Parking on impacted streets will be prohibited beginning at 12 a.m. Saturday, and vehicles remaining after that time will be towed.

Local residents and businesses are encouraged to review the closures, in advance, and to plan accordingly. Public transit service will also be impacted.

Changes to this plan may be made as necessary. Public safety personnel and vehicles will have access to all areas of Downtown during the statue removals.