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Coalition renews focus on removing Confederate monuments in Virginia

A statewide coalition is working towards changing the Virginia law that prevents localities from removing war monuments.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Will 2020 be the year that Virginia's cities and counties gain the power to remove Confederate monuments if they want to? 

Some believe it's much more likely now that Democrats are retaking control of the state Legislature. The Daily Progress in Charlottesville reported Monday that a statewide coalition will try to make sure that state law is changed this year. 

Virginia code currently prevents localities from removing war monuments. Monumental Justice Virginia said that bills will be filed in both chambers of the Statehouse to try to give localities power over monuments.  

Back in August, the city of Norfolk filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth over this very same code. The suit cited that a Confederate monument in downtown Norfolk is city property and that Norfolk has a constitutional right to control where it stands.

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