The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, welcomed the removal of the last Confederate monuments from Virginia’s Capitol Square, marking the completion of a years-long effort to remove Confederate symbols from the grounds of the state Capitol.
The final monument was removed Saturday, following the removal Friday of three other statues depicting Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, former Virginia Governor and Confederate General William “Extra Billy” Smith, and Confederate Army surgeon Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire. The removals leave Capitol Square without monuments honoring individuals who served the Confederacy.
In a statement, Washington, D.C.-based CAIR said:
“Public spaces belong to all Virginians, and the symbols displayed at the seat of government should reflect the values of equality, freedom and equal dignity for every person. We welcome the removal of these Confederate monuments from Virginia’s Capitol Square and commend the lawmakers, advocates and community members who worked to ensure that our state’s most prominent public spaces do not glorify a cause rooted in the defense of slavery, racism and white supremacy.”
CAIR has repeatedly called for the removal of Confederate names, holidays, flags, statues, and symbols nationwide.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]