Charlottesville judge orders tarps off Confederate statues

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A judge in Virginia has ordered the city of Charlottesville to remove the black shrouds that were installed over two Confederate monuments after a white nationalist rally last summer.

Local news outlets report Charlottesville Circuit Court Judge Richard Moore gave the city 15 days from the time an official order is signed to remove the tarps.

They currently cover statues of Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The tarps have been removed several times since being put up in August as a sign of the city’s mourning of the deadly violence at the August rally.

Moore’s decision came during a hearing in a lawsuit against the city, which is seeking to remove the monuments.

The city said in a statement that it is disappointed by the ruling but will respect the court’s decision.