Rockdale County dismantles Confederate statue in surprise move
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CONYERS, GA (WGCL) — A 107-year-old statue honoring Confederate soldiers was removed late Wednesday night from the grounds of the Rockdale County Courthouse.
Protesters and supporters gathered to watch crane company workers remove the monument.
Citizens received little notice about the removal. In a video posted to the county’s Facebook page Wednesday, Rockdale County Commission Chairman Oz Nesbitt Sr. said he had made the executive decision to remove the statue.
“The people have spoken. This was time to be responsive and not always reactive,” said Nesbitt. “It’s a bittersweet thing tonight. The decisions is on my shoulders to keep the citizens safe at all times.”
The monument is the latest to removed in Georgia. Nesbitt said he hopes the statue will be relocated to the Old Conyers Cemetery.
A controversial Confederate obelisk was removed in early June from Decatur Square, and throughout metro Atlanta, there is a push to rename streets with Confederate ties.
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