NORFOLK, VA – A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Chris Green, the BLM protester crushed by a statue in Virginia as it was toppled by other protesters. Now, Green remains in the hospital in a coma.
“Chris Green is a member of the 757 community who was severely injured during a demonstration at the confederate monuments in Portsmouth on June 10th 2020,”the fundraising page says. ”All proceeds will be given to his family to help with any medical expenses and anything else they may need going forward.”
Now, Norfolk Mayor Ken Alexander is warning protesters to stop defacing and trying to tear down the rest of the 80 foot tall monument.
“While we welcome peaceful demonstrations at the monument at Commercial Place, we want everyone to understand that the size of the monument, it stands at 80 feet, does not lend itself to safe removal without the use of a truck mounted construction crane,” Alexander said. “Out of an abundance of caution, anyone who attempts to scale the monument will be removed in the interest of their own safety.”
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Across the country people are demonstrating in remembrance of lives lost to police violence and hate crimes. Thousands have participated in the peaceful protests in the City of Norfolk and we hope that this very important dialogue will continue. But it is extremely important that we all stay safe.
While we welcome peaceful demonstrations at the monument at Commercial Place, we want everyone to understand that the size of the monument, it stands at 80 feet, does not lend itself to safe removal without the use of a truck mounted construction crane. Out of an abundance of caution, anyone who attempts to scale the monument will be removed in the interest of their own safety.
City Council has been unequivocal in expressing its desire to remove the monument. In August 2017, Norfolk City Council unanimously passed a resolution to remove the monument as soon as permitted by state law. During the 2020 Session of the Virginia General Assembly, legislation was adopted, HB1537, that cleared legal hurdles that prevented us from moving forward. This law is effective July 1. On June 2, after our City Attorney presented steps that we must follow for its removal, City Council voted to schedule the required public hearing on July 7 for discussion of removal. It is our intent to remove the statue by August 7, the earliest possible date allowed by law.