Confederate statues targeted in Wilmington

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Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Confederate statue in Wilmington
Confederate statue in Wilmington
wtvd-Wikimedia Commons

WILMINGTON, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Two Confederate statues in the Wilmington area have been targeted in the last 24 hours.

Wednesday morning, it appeared someone spray-painted the face of the George Davis Monument on Market Street, according to WWAY.

The statue was reportedly unveiled in 1911.

Hours earlier, a white flag was seen hanging from a Confederate statue on 3rd Street in downtown Tuesday evening.

Andrew Bopes told WWAY that he put it there because he didn't understand why the statue was still displayed.

"It doesn't have too much of an effect on me except my empathy," said Bopes, who lives and works downtown. "There is no context as to why it's displayed. It's a participation trophy for someone on the wrong side of history. It needed some context and the white surrender flag gives it context. A war was fought here and this stuff happened, but the white flag gives it context."

Since the flag was first put up Tuesday afternoon, it has been removed a few times. Bopes told WWAY that he continues to put it back up when it's taken down.