Attorney General Mark Herring has filed a brief asking the Supreme Court of Virginia to uphold the Richmond Circuit Court’s ruling that removal of the Robert E. Lee statue is lawful and to dissolve the injunction that is currently preventing the Commonwealth from taking down the state-owned statue on Monument Avenue in Richmond.
Herring’s brief makes the case not just for why the statue can be taken down, but why it should be taken down, recounting the statue’s prominent role in perpetuating Lost Cause propaganda and promoting racially segregated neighborhoods in Richmond.
“The Lee statue has held a place of prominence in the capital of Virginia, sending a message of white supremacy and division, for far too long and it is time for it to come down” Herring said. “The continued obstruction that has so far prohibited the Commonwealth from exercising its right to remove state-owned property must stop. I remain committed to ensuring that this stark reminder of a racist past comes down, allowing Virginia to move forward on its journey of healing and reconciliation.”
Richmond Circuit Court Judge W. Reilly Marchant ruled in favor of Herring and Gov. Ralph Northam in October 2020 in finding that the Lee statue’s removal was lawful.
In January, Herring asked the Supreme Court of Virginia to reject this appeal that seeks to keep the state-owned Robert E. Lee statue on Monument Avenue. He also asked SCOVA, if it were to choose to hear the appeal, to do so as quickly as possible.
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