Judge Reverses Decision, Allows for Removal of Confederate Statue at Arlington National Cemetery

Earlier this week, a federal Virginia judge halted the removal of a Confederate memorial statue at Arlington National Cemetery.

Judge Rossie Alston made his initial ruling in response to claims that the graves around the memorial were being desecrated in the process of removal.

However, just this morning, the judge reversed course, allowing for the removal of the historic memorial to continue.

Take a look:

Judge Allows Confederate Statue At Arlington National Cemetery To Be Removed—Ending Day-Long Holdhttps://t.co/rT1OkJ9MVB pic.twitter.com/izcba9e64O

— Forbes (@Forbes) December 20, 2023

After federal judge lifts temporary injunction, Biden administration rushes to desecrate graves at Arlington National Cemetery. https://t.co/xVmTZCjGQD

— Tom Fitton (@TomFitton) December 20, 2023

Here’s more details on the judge’s reversal, from The Washington Examiner:

A federal judge ruled that Arlington National Cemetery may proceed with removing a Confederate monument after pausing the effort earlier this week.

Judge Rossie Alston of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia issued an order on Tuesday vacating the injunction he had placed on the cemetery to halt the removal of the monument, saying in a court filing that the plaintiffs failed to show how removing the monument would disturb the grave sites.

“The information and pictures provided in the Yates Declaration demonstrate that Defendants are taking protective measures and that Plaintiffs’ complaints regarding the removal efforts being likely to damage the gravesites are misinformed or misleading. The Court also personally visited the Memorial and it was clear to the Court that Defendants were making every effort to protect and respect the surrounding gravesites,” Alston wrote in his order.

He also claimed that the plaintiffs failed to show “public interest” in the preliminary injunction blocking the monument from being removed.

ABC News also reported on the removal of the Confederate statue:

A federal judge ruled Tuesday to allow a Confederate memorial to be removed from Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia after it was halted amid a temporary restraining order submitted by protesting groups.

The removal of the Confederate memorial is congressionally mandated to be removed by Jan. 1, 2024, according to the Army National Military Cemeteries, which is heading the removal procedures at Arlington.

“Plaintiffs have not alleged facts that support the premise that Defendants intend to “destroy” rather than “remove” the Memorial,” said District Judge Rossie D. Alston, Jr. in his opinion. “The parties discussed at oral argument that the Memorial will likely end up reconstituted at another site. Moreover, Plaintiffs had no answer regarding how the deconstruction and removal of the Memorial in the manner planned would result in irreparable harm, given that it appears that the Memorial can be reconstructed at a later time if Plaintiffs ultimately succeed in the claims.”

A congressional commission in 2021 required the removal “of all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America … or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America” from all assets of the Department of Defense.

What do you think about the judge’s backtracking?

Would President Trump allow for such a thing?

The Biden Administration has resumed dismantling the Reconciliation Monument at Arlington National Cemetery.

Our nation’s history is being rewritten before our eyes. pic.twitter.com/cNa4zwLgI2

— Rep. Andrew Clyde (@Rep_Clyde) December 20, 2023

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