Commission votes down discussion of monument

Commission votes down discussion of monument

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The city of florence said it has the money to remove the lauderdale county courthouse's confederate monument and pay the 25 thousand dollar fine, but commissioners in a packed meeting tonight voted down even talking about the issue.

Waay31's breken terry was there and shows us how all this happened.

Lauderdale county commissioner brad holmes tonight wanted to open discussions on removing the confederate monument that sits on county property at the courthouse.

But commissioners ray garner and faye parker voted down adding that talk to tonight's meeting-- that's when you saw dozens leaving the meeting.

Mokwunye- they selected not to listen but it wasn't because they did not understand what it represents to this community.

Half of the group began protesting nat take it down.

Others stayed at the meeting and told commissioners how they felt.

Nat you need to take it down.

Guy- it stands for racism and if you support it you do too.

Most of the commissioners said they didn't want to break the alabama law that stops monuments from being moved- even though birmingham and mobile already have done that.

Pettus- you can't even request to move a statue that's been in place for 40 years so.

But many in the crowd told waay31 they were once again let down by people in power.

In florence bt waay31.

The commissioners said they might put the monument on the agenda for the next meeting.