Virginia court rules Charlottesville can take down Confederate statues

Ruling includes statue of Robert E Lee that became focus of white nationalist rally in 2017 that turned violent and deadly

Virginia's highest court ruled on Thursday that the city of Charlottesville can take down two statues of Confederate generals, including one of Robert E Lee that became the focus of a white nationalist rally in 2017 that turned extremely violent and ultimately deadly.

The state supreme court overturned an appeal court decision that had been previously made in favor of a group of residents who sued to block the city from taking down the Lee statue and a nearby monument to fellow general Thomas J Stonewall" Jackson. Charlottesville's city council voted to remove both.