RICHMOND, Va. -- Just hours after workers used high-pressure sprayers to remove paint tossed on the Robert E. Lee monument, the statue on Monument Avenue was littered with graffiti during Saturday night's protest.
Scene at the JEB Stuart Monument. pic.twitter.com/zAEWZfW9mL
— Cam Thompson (@CamThompsonCBS6) May 31, 2020
Protesters had also gathered at the base of the nearby statue of J.E.B. Stuart around 12:30 a.m.
"I'm not the leader, I'm just sad," one woman yelled. "I just got up here because everybody thinks this is fun. Everybody is treating this like it's a party. This is not a party, this is a reform movement."
WTVR CBS 6 is monitoring this event, while keeping our distance afar to protect our news crews. There has been a great deal of violence against journalists over the last 48 hours and we want to keep you informed, but will put the safety of our employees first. In fact, we have multiple security guards with our crews to help avoid danger, rather than go into it.
@CBS6 crews saw:
— Jake Burns (@JakeBurnsCBS6) May 31, 2020
-smashed windows at banks and stores
-dumpster and car fires set
-police using tear gas to disperse crowds
-images of multiple Confederate statues on Monument Avenue tagged with spray paint
-the phrase "I can't breathe" on signs, buildings, and windows
