NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) – Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander announced Thursday night that the confederate monument downtown would be removed within 24 hours, weather permitting. To his word, crews arrived that very night to begin the dismantling process.
Cranes moved in to remove the statue on top of the monument and had completed the removal by early Friday morning.
According to the city, the statue stands nearly 16-feet tall and weighs approximately 1,500 pounds. The City will hold a public hearing on July 7, 2020 regarding the future of the monument.
Alexander and Norfolk City Manager made the swift decision to remove the “Johnny Reb” Confederate statue to help keep the public safe, following a protest at the downtown Portsmouth Confederate monument Wednesday night that left a man seriously injured.
Here are some images taken of the monument, which is located on E. Main Street at Commercial Place, before and during the removal of the statue.
WAVY photo 
WAVY photo 
WAVY photo
June 11, 2020 (Photo courtesy: Geena Arevalo/WAVY) 
June 11, 2020 (Photo courtesy: Geena Arevalo/WAVY) 
June 11, 2020 (Photo courtesy: Geena Arevalo/WAVY) 
June 11, 2020 (Photo courtesy: Geena Arevalo/WAVY) 
The city of Norfolk brings in a crane overnight on June 12, 2020 to remove a statue from the Downtown Confederate monument (Photo courtesy: Lavoy Harrell/WAVY) 
