GOT TO GO

Birmingham Protesters Pull Down Confederate Statue, Set Fire to Thomas Jefferson Monument

Footage shows demonstrators at George Floyd protest taking down the top part of a statue of city founder Charles Linn.

Protesters in Birmingham, Alabama, tore down a statue and damaged part of a Confederate monument Sunday following a rally in memory of George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died at the hands of cops in Minneapolis last month. WBRC reports that protesters gathered at Linn Park on Sunday night pulled down the top part of the statue of city founder Charles Linn after tying a rope around it using a truck to pull it down. They also reportedly damaged a Confederate monument by chipping away at its base, and set fire to a statue of Thomas Jefferson. The protesters were listening to a speech by comedian Jermaine “FunnyMaine” Johnson before they started working to remove the statue. Johnson reportedly told the crowd the statue is a racist reminder of the past. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin later came to the park to ask protesters to stand down. AL.com reported that at least one TV reporter was struck in the head with a bottle at the event.