Roanoke City Council to hold public hearing about Robert E. Lee memorial

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Roanoke City Council will hold a public hearing to discuss the Robert E. Lee confederate Monument at its meeting Monday night.

This comes after the statue was knocked down a few weeks ago.

The hearing is the next step in the process to possibly remove the statue, which is currently in storage until further action is needed based on the Council decision.

The monument has been in Lee Plaza just shy of 60 years. Over the summer City Council stated their intention to have it removed and voted to start the process.

But despite that, on Wednesday, July 22, just before midnight, a Roanoke Police Officer driving in the area saw the Robert E. Lee Monument lying on its side, broken into two pieces.

A man has since been arrested and charged with felony property damage.

Mayor Sherman Lea says this is an unfortunate incident, but it will not deter them from going through the legal process to remove the monument.

“My job as mayor is to make sure that we do it the right way. That we listen, inform, discuss and vote,” said Mayor Lea.

The public hearing will allow citizens to give their input on the matter, and they will proceed based upon the outcome.

A Daleville man who filed a lawsuit to stop it from being removed says he plans on speaking at the hearing.

Daleville man’s lawsuit over removal of Roanoke Robert E. Lee Monument dismissed

The suit was dismissed, but the man isn’t giving up and says he will still speak.

“To help the city, maybe consider filing a referendum for the November 3rd ballot, that’s what I’ll try to see if I can get done,” said Liniel Godfrey Gregory, Jr.

The public hearing will be at the meeting which starts at 7 p.m.

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