Hurricane Takes Down Statue Officials Had Voted to Keep

Laura topples the South's Defenders Monument in Lake Charles, La.
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 28, 2020 12:30 AM CDT
Parish Declines to Take Down Confederate Monument. Hurricane Doesn't
A confederate statue sits toppled in front of the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse on Ryan Street after Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020 in Lake Charles, La.   (Hilary Scheinuk/The Advocate via AP)

Two weeks ago, officials in Lake Charles, Louisiana, declined to remove a controversial Confederate monument. This week, Hurricane Laura went ahead and toppled the statue herself. The South's Defenders Monument, a statue featuring a Confederate soldier that used to stand in front of the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse, was found fallen from its pedestal Wednesday morning, the Daily Advertiser reports. The Parish Police Jury had on Aug. 13 voted 10-5, to keep the monument where it was, after taking public comments on the matter since late June. "It is a blessing, a small blessing, in a very devastating situation," one local who supported its removal tells the New York Times. Officials are not yet sure what will happen to the monument now. Laura left at least six dead and destroyed an "untold number" of homes and buildings, per NBC. (More Confederate statues stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X