Rocky Mount city council votes to remove Confederate monument

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Rocky Mount City Council voted on Tuesday to remove a Confederate monument from Battle Park.

Andre Knight, the Mayor Pro-tem, confirmed to ABC11 that council voted 6-1 to remove it.

It happened during a meeting for the upcoming budget.

Councilman Reuben Blackwell made the motion and it was seconded by Councilman Richard Joyner, Knight said.

Mayor Sandy Roberson said the city council will confirm the vote in a meeting next week.

Still, North Carolina law prohibits the removal of confederate monuments unless approved by a state entity.

Over the weekend, demonstrators who were part of the George Floyd protests marched to Battle Park and started their event at the monument.