Lawyer: Protesters arrested in Durham Confederate statue vandalism receiving death threats
DURHAM, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Four people who surrendered to authorities Thursday in connection to the vandalism of the Confederate statue in Durham appeared in court Friday morning.
Supporters of the protesters held another rally outside the courthouse.
A total of eight people have been arrested. Many supporters say they feel this is the only way to get rid of the Confederate monuments they see as racist and a symbol of white supremacy.
RELATED: 8 now charged in destruction of Confederate statue in Durham
Governor Roy Cooper said this week he feels the Confederate monuments should come down, but that it should be done legally. There are more than 90 Confederate monuments in North Carolina.
RELATED: Gov. Roy Cooper: Confederate monuments 'should come down'
Senate Leader Phil Berger posted on Facebook that rioting and vandalism are not acceptable ways to make political points in North Carolina.
President Donald Trump tweeted about his support of Confederate monuments.
The lawyer for those arrested Thursday - Elena Everett, Raul Jimenez, Aaron Caldwell and Taylor Cook - told ABC11 after their court appearance Friday that the group has received threats.
"I know they have been receiving death threats ... information that the Klan is targeting them," lawyer Scott Holmes said.
They - along with Takiyah Thompson, Ngoc Loan Tran, Dante Strobino and Peter Gilbert - face charges that include felony rioting and defacing a public monument. They have court dates set for September 12.
Meanwhile, NC NAACP President William Barber is expected to hold a news conference in Durham Saturday to talk about the Confederate statues, the Charlottesville tragedy and white supremacy.
