Workers in New Orleans have removed the first of four prominent Confederate monuments this morning.
NOLA.com reports the White League marker on Canal Street was driven off in pieces about 5:30 this morning.
The obelisk was dedicated to whites who tried to topple a biracial post-Civil War government in New Orleans. Trucks arrived around 1:25 a.m. in an attempt to avoid disruption from supporters who want the monuments to stay. City officials say some have made death threats.
Workers who were inspecting the statue ahead of its removal could be seen wearing flak jackets and helmets. Police officers watched the area from atop the parking garage of a nearby hotel.
The Advocate reports the name of the construction company on the trucks was concealed by tape and cardboard. The workers wore black vests, yellow helmets and pieces of cloth to cover their faces.
Three other statues to Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate President Jefferson Davis will be removed in later days now that legal challenges have been decided.
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