'Moral Monday' protesters take aim at new law concerning Confederate monuments
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Moral Monday protesters were back in Raleigh Monday evening. This time they were protesting the new "Historic Artifact Management and Patriotism Act," which requires General Assembly approval before a Confederate monument can be moved - effectively taking away local government control.
Gov. Pat McCrory signed the bill into law on Friday and now protesters with the North Carolina NAACP and the Forward Together Moral Movement want him to throw the law out.
They argue the new law protects monuments that represent a racist legacy.
"The recent passage of this law is not just about monuments. It underscores the cynical posturing of protecting monuments that represent a racist legacy before you protect all the citizens of this state," said Rev. William Barber, the president of the North Carolina NAACP and leader of the Moral Movement.
Before gathering at the North Carolina State Capitol to protest, Barber said they delivered a letter to the governor asking him to do away with the new law.
For more than an hour, several speakers took turns at the podium in front of the Capitol and spoke out against Confederate monuments. From there, they marched over to the Legislative Building to hand deliver copies of the letter they sent to the governor and top lawmakers. The letter asked them to focus on things other than laws about monuments.
"500,000 people no healthcare. They want to fuss over a monument, flag. Teachers don't know if they have money, teaching assistants. We don't even have a state budget. It's so backwards, so cynical, so wrong," said Barber.
ABC11 reached out for a comment from the governor's office and received this response from Press Secretary Graham Wilson: "This is another example of William Barber being more interested in divisive rhetoric and political attacks than telling a complete story of North Carolina history. Our discussions should be centered around the addition of new monuments that will reflect the diversity of the individuals and events that shaped North Carolina."
No one was arrested at Monday's events.
