A second line parade took place on Sunday afternoon, May 8th in New Orleans to celebrate the removal of four of the city’s confederate monuments. The first confederate monument was removed in the early hours of April 24th. Three more are slated for removal. Those celebrating the removal of the monuments were met by protesters who oppose the removal process. Three people were arrested.
The organizing group Take Em’ Down Nola held a parade to ‘bury white supremacy.’ Co-founder Malcolm Suber addressed the crowd.
“This is a day of celebration. We’re saying down with white supremacy. Say it with me!" The crowd cheered the slogan along with Suber.
The parade grew to at least 400 people by the time it arrived at the Robert E. Lee monument. There the group was met by dozens of protesters, guarding the Lee statue. Many wore bulletproof vests and waved Confederate flags. Paraders marched up directly to monument defenders and shouted ‘shame.’
Police officers stood in a line to physically divide the opponents, with the Louisiana State Police and National Guard also on watch.
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