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Hurricane Laura blew down a controversial Confederate statue in Louisiana
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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) lessA 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 … more
Photo: HILARY SCHEINUK, Associated Press
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) less
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 … more
Photo: HILARY SCHEINUK, Associated Press
Weeks after officials voted to keep a Confederate monument on courthouse grounds in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Hurricane Laura took matters into her own hands.
The storm toppled the South’s Defenders Monument, a controversial statue dedicated to Confederate soldiers. The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury voted 10-4 Aug. 13 to let the statue remain, the Lafayette Daily Advertiser reports.
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Parish officials had been taking comments since June regarding what to do with the monument and received over 800 written comments requesting the statue remain, despite Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter asking for its removal. Only 67 comments were submitted in support of its removal.
The monument stood on the lawn of the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse for over 100 years, showing a young Confederate soldier. Hurricane Laura, which made landfall as a Catergory 4 storm with 150 mph winds, blew the statue from its pedestal.
The country has seen widespread calls to remove Confederate statues and monuments, largely seen as symbols of racism. Houston removed its two Confederate statues in June.