Tarps over Confederate statues in Charlottesville torn down

City workers drape a tarp over the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Emancipation park in Charlottesville, Va. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. Officials in Charlottesville are trying to stop people from ripping down tarps that cover statues of Confederate generals. (Steve Helber/AP)

City workers drape a tarp over the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Emancipation park in Charlottesville, Va., Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. The move intended to symbolize the city's mourning for Heather Heyer, killed while protesting a white nationalist rally earlier this month. (Steve Helber/AP)

Charlottesville city council member Wes Bellamy, left, walks with resident Aaliyah Jones, right past the covered statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Emancipation park in Charlottesville, Va., Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. The move to cover the statues is intended to symbolize the city's mourning for Heather Heyer, killed while protesting a white nationalist rally earlier this month. (Steve Helber/AP)

City workers drape a tarp over the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Emancipation park in Charlottesville, Va., Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017. The move to cover the statues is intended to symbolize the city's mourning for Heather Heyer, killed while protesting a white nationalist rally earlier this month. (Steve Helber/AP)

FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017 file photo, people look at the covered statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Va. The move to cover the statues was intended to symbolize the city's mourning for Heather Heyer, killed while protesting a white nationalist rally earlier in the month. (Steve Helber/AP)

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The Associated Press

September 20, 2017 - 10:28 am

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Officials in Charlottesville, Virginia, are trying to stop people from ripping down tarps that cover statues of Confederate generals.

The Daily Progress reported Tuesday that the city has placed plastic fencing around the monuments to Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The tarps have been ripped down six times.

The coverings are a gesture of mourning for Heather Heyer. She was killed Aug. 12 when a car plowed into a group of people at a rally in which white nationalists and counterprotesters clashed.

NBC 29 reported Monday that rally organizer Jason Kessler led a group to remove tarps from both statues.

Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman said it’s not a crime to remove the shrouds. But he said the fencing will allow authorities to file trespassing charges against anyone who goes beyond it.

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