Vandalized Confederate monument relocated for cleaning

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - A Confederate monument in uptown Charlotte found vandalized Wednesday, has been relocated to a city warehouse to be cleaned.

Officers responded to a damage to property call on E. Trade Street early Wednesday morning. When they arrived, they found the word "Racist" spray painted across a Confederate monument.

The monument, erected by the Confederate Memorial Association of Charlotte in 1977, is next to the old town hall and on City Hall property. Whoever is responsible is facing charges of defacing a monument on city property.

Charlotte police believe the monument was spray painted between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 6:45 a.m. Wednesday.

Some NC lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday that would make it harder to remove monuments like the ones vandalized. Senate Bill 22 would forbid the removal of any memorial, statue or plaque that commemorates part of North Carolina's history without state approval.

City officials did not say how long they believe the cleaning process will take.

A second incident was reported later in the day at the Confederate monument on North Kings Drive, between the Grady Cole Center and the Memorial Stadium. There, someone covered the words on the monument with cement.

In the meantime, police are asking anyone with information about the vandalism to report it immediately to Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Previous stories: Two Confederate monuments vandalized in uptown Charlotte

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