Madison County Confederate monument vandalized

Madison County Confederate monument vandalized

We'll have much more on the coronavirus - but we want to turn our attention to today's other big story.

You're taking a live look at the confederate monument at the madison county courthouse.

Right now - the sheriff's office is investigating who vandalized it hours before new demands for its removal.

Madison county commissioners says the vandalism isn't going to speed up the process of moving the monument - even though activists say it is one more reason it should be removed.

Waay 31's ashley carter is live at the courthouse after speaking to some of those activists who say this is exactly why the statue needs to be moved.

I've been at the courthouse pretty much all day.

Very few people ignore the red paint as they walk by the confederate monument.

Some people took pictures.

Activists i spoke to today say the red paint symbolizes exactly what the statue stands for ...and they want it moved before it becomes a public safety issue catherine hereford, activist: "i think this monument has never looked better, in fact i think it looks more historically accurate."

That's the message catherine hereford....an activist and the granddaughter of civil rights activist sonny hereford's wants madison county commissioners to hear.

While she doesn't condone this vandalism....she believes it shows what happens when a community gets fed up catherine hereford, activist: "we have waited to do things the right way and they have dragged their feet like no other major city in alabama has done."

<vo "i do consider the person that did it a better public servant than the people working in that county commission."

Others believe it sends the wrong message.

Ricky howard, spoke at commission meeting: "as john lewis would say we want to get into good trouble, that's not good trouble.

Vandalism is bad trouble."

State law fines any city or county 25 thousand dollars for moving a monument older than 40-years- old.

One local group said it raised the money to pay the fine.

Take a look.

Today's vandals even referenced the fine by calling it the price for human decency.

Hereford says she hopes the vandalism is a wake up call to the commission.

But commission chairman dale strong once again said the county is waiting on state permission.

Something the state said isn't happening.

Catherine hereford, activist: "that is a viable option,that they really should consider before something like this escalated.

They're placing the safety of the statue over the safety of the citizens."

Butt with dale strong, madison county commission chairman: "if we do things illegally because of vandalism i can only imagine what the next situation will be."

> a monument removal protest is planned tonight with activists saying the red paint shouldnt be cleaned up but kept on the statue to symbolize what they say is the true meaning behind it live in hsv ashley c waay 31 news.

That rally is hosted by the "tennessee valley progressive alliance."

The group says anyone who attends needs to bring a mask to prevent