NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Opponents of New Orleans' plan to remove four prominent Confederate monuments are getting their day in court.
Four groups sued in December, shortly after the City Council voted 6-1 to remove the monuments that include a towering statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee.
U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier is presiding over the hearing today to block the city's action at the U.S. District Court building in New Orleans.
Monuments set for removal include the Gen. Robert E. Lee monument at Lee Circle, the Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard equestrian statue at the entrance to City Park, the Confederate President Jefferson Davis monument at Jefferson Davis Parkway at Canal Street and the Battle of Liberty Place monument on Iberville Street.
The New Orleans Advocate’s Jessica Williams reports the company the City hired to remove the four monuments has backed out of that project after its associates and at least one of their relatives claim they received death threats and threatening calls.
