‘Such a relief’: Charlottesville onlookers cheer the removal of Confederate statue

Hundreds gathered to see the monument to Robert E Lee, once a rallying point for white supremacists, hoisted off its pedestal

As the statue of Robert E Lee, the Confederate general, was hoisted off its pedestal and strapped to a waiting truck in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, the removal was largely greeted with cheers and expressions of relief by those witnessing it.

Several hundred people had gathered to see the early morning removal of Lee's statue from the city's Market Street park, with shouts of get up and get outta here" and bye bye" marking the moment.