Charlottesville to keep trying to remove Confederate statues

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The city of Charlottesville is preparing to appeal its defeat in a lawsuit over two Confederate monuments.

The Daily Progress reports the City Council on Monday night authorized the city attorney to appeal once a judge delivers his final ruling against removing statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Circuit Court Judge Richard Moore ruled last month that monuments don’t send a racially discriminatory message. He also issued a permanent injunction preventing the city from removing the statues.

A group of residents sued the city, citing a state law that protects war memorials. The only outstanding issue is their request for more than $600,000 in attorneys’ fees. A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 15.

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Information from: The Daily Progress, http://www.dailyprogress.com