CHATHAM COUNTY, N.C. — Chatham County officials say the removal of the Confederate statue outside the courthouse in Pittsboro began Tuesday night.
According to WNCN, officials said the statue and pedestal will be taken to a “safe location.”
A release stated, “Crews are working to safely and respectfully dismantle the Confederate monument, which includes the statue and pedestal.”
Officials said the statue and pedestal will be preserved and stored in a location until the Winnie Davis Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) “finds a more appropriate location to place them.”
United Sons of Confederate Veterans released a statement about the monument's removal, saying in part, "like a thief in the night, under cover of darkness the Chatham County Confederate Soldiers Memorial has been illegally removed."
Many protests on both sides have occurred at the site of the Confederate monument. Chatham County deputies say 11 people were arrested during a demonstration on Saturday.
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