PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas made a quick appearance in Portsmouth General District Court for her arraignment hearing Friday morning.
It took less than two minutes.
Lucas faces two felony charges related to a protest that took place at the city's Confederate monument in Olde Towne on June 10.
Supporters, including Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, showed up for the arraignment. They sat in a “packed” socially-distanced courtroom for the hearing.
Lucas told 13News Now, "This was fast," in regards to her arraignment.
The protest on June 10 took a violent turn when demonstrators started vandalizing the monument and pulled a statue down on top of a man. That man, Chris Green, suffered a severe head injury.
Eighteen other people, including members of Portsmouth NAACP, also were charged with felonies for the events that took place at the Confederate monument in June.
The next court date for Lucas is Sept. 17. Her lawyer, Del. Don Scott, said that it was a control date and that they may not be there for it. It would function as a placeholder. they will set motion and hearing dates.
Several top Virginia Democrats showed their support for Lucas and the 18 people charged at a rally in Portsmouth on Tuesday (Sept. 1).
Former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Congressman Bobby Scott, and Lt. Governor Justin Fairfax were among those at the rally calling for the charges to be dropped.