Atlanta to remove Confederate memorial at Oakland Cemetery

ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council voted to remove a cemetery monument dedicated to Confederate soldiers.

It was not a vote of protest but a move to protect the "Lion of the Confederacy" sculpted more than 127 years ago.

Someone has been determined to deface or even destroy the symbol. Latex paint has been splattered all over it.

In another incident, a pickaxe was used to chip and dent the face of the Lion.

The Lion has been the signature for 3,000 unknown confederate soldiers.

In the coming days, the Lion will be taken to an undisclosed location for storage until a new venue can be arranged.

Howard Shook, one of the senior council members, expressed anger that the acts of vandalism had taken place numerous times "violating this sacred place".

Shook wanted to know if there had been any arrests. The answer is no. Oakland Cemetery has security, but it is limited.

The city will spend about $30,000 to have the monument removed.

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