Hundreds watch as Stonewall Jackson statue removed from Richmond's Monument Avenue

A statue of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson was removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, on Wednesday afternoon, with Mayor Levar Stoney (D) saying similar memorials will soon follow.

Hundreds of people gathered to watch as the statue came down, including Lattoria Mason, 42. Mason told The Washington Post she was glad Black voices "have been heard by other people who recognize what we meant when we said that these statues were painful. This is really healing. I wish my grandfather was here to see this."

Richmond is the former capital of the Confederacy, and there are five Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. Four of them are owned by the city, and Stoney used his emergency powers to have the Jackson statue removed, citing safety concerns. There have been daily protests on Monument Avenue since the death of George Floyd in late May, and people have tried to pull the statue down.

"I am the emergency management director," Stoney told the Post. "In that role, I'm responsible to protect life and property. We've had 33 consecutive days of protest and civil unrest, and public safety has to be the top priority."

Stoney spokesperson Jim Nolan said the other city-owned statues will be removed as quickly as possible. Gov. Ralph Northam (D) ordered that a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee that is owned by the state also be taken down; this is being challenged in court.