Protesters Want Confederate Monument Moved

Protesters Want Confederate Monument Moved

You're taking a live look at the madison county courthouse - where protesters are gathered at the confederate statue.

The protest will end in a few minutes.

Some plan to go to the city council meeting tonight - to put pressure on all local leaders to remove the statue now.

The madison county commission planned to ask the state today if they could move the monument - but the meeting was cancelled.

Waay 31's ashley carter joins us live now after learning what the group hopes to share at tonight's meeting.

Ashley?

In the next 15 minutes this protest is expected to end and some of the people plan to speak at tonight's city council meeting while the rest stream it outside.

The statue is on county-owned land - but protesters are now asking for the city's help to either move the monument themselves ... or pressure the commission to do so now rather than waiting for the state's permission.

Frederick whitlow, local organizer: "we believe the madison county commission can and should move the monument...here' s why" frederick whitlow says he and many others are speaking at the city council meeting thursday.

They're reading off four bullet points on why the council should act or push the commissioners to act on moving the confederate monument.

He says even asking for the state's permission instead of taking immediate action is injust.

Frederick whitlow, local organizer: "dr king himself, he said immoral laws should be broken.

Any action for the commission to move the monument without - and i say without breaking the law actually affirms the laws spirit and intent.

Other organizers say it's well past time for the monument to move john brown, local organizer: "the monument has been up for so long, and even since june 1st it's still up just proves that, huntsville is not really the progressive city it proclaims itself to be and it's really just a facade that's like covering up a city with a lot of racist history."

Whitlow says he hopes bringing their concerns to the city council will help speed up the removal of the statue... frederick whitlow, local organizer: "move it, move it because it's an immoral and evil act."

The city council meeting is set to begin in the next ad lib it's not clear how many people will be speaking about the removal of the monument - but they'll each have 3 minutes to speak.

Live in hsv ashley c waay 31 news the alabama monument preservation act of 2017 prohibits moving - altering - renaming - or taking down memorials or monuments that are 40 or more years old.

Local governments that do - have to pay a 25- thousand dollar fine.

The county commission hopes it can get a