On June 15, just before a scheduled ceremony, reports surfaced that several Confederate statues, previously taken down in Baltimore nearly ten years ago, had reappeared in the city.
According to a local report, four Confederate statues returned to Baltimore on Thursday, though many specifics surrounding their return remain vague.
“They are stored in a secure facility. We won’t reveal their location,” an official mentioned.
The statues were taken down in the early hours of August 16, 2017, shortly after the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and had been in California until recently, showcased at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
Following their removal, one statue spent years in a Baltimore jail, where vandals inflicted significant damage, totaling tens of thousands of dollars.
The returned statues include Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, among others, initially situated near Wyman Park Dell, along with the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Confederate Women’s Monument, and the Roger B. Taney Monument.
The Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument endured particularly heavy vandalism during its storage, with reports of arms being cut off and the statue being splashed with bright red paint.
While the return of the statues has been confirmed, many questions linger. “Confederate monuments are back in Baltimore,” said Lauren Cizik, the executive director of the city’s Historic and Architectural Preservation Commission, during a briefing on June 9.
The Baltimore Mayor, Brandon Scott, has been advocating for the statues’ removal, a movement that started before he took office. He has stressed that these monuments relate to a troubling aspect of America’s history.
In a previous resolution, Scott expressed, “Monuments tied to America’s dark past are increasingly under scrutiny, and cities across the country are contemplating their removal. After the domestic terrorist act by a white supremacist group in Charlottesville, it’s crucial for cities to take immediate action regarding these monuments. Baltimore has had ample time to deliberate; now is the time to act.”
The Mayor’s office has not responded to inquiries for further comment.
