Next week, Washington, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton will introduce a proposal to have the Andrew Jackson statue removed from Lafayette Park.
“Lafayette Park itself has a painful past as a slave market. The statue of Andrew Jackson, who himself enslaved African Americans, compounds this insult,” Norton stated.
“This prominent location in the nation’s capital, right outside of the White House, should never have honored a man who owned slaves and was responsible for the deaths of roughly 4,000 Native Americans. Jackson’s entire tenure is a shameful part of our history, and I will see to it that he is no longer honored with a statue in Lafayette Park,” Norton continued.
NEW: Congresswoman Eleanor Norton plans to introduce legislation to remove the Abraham Lincoln Emancipation Memorial in DC; protest leader says they plan to topple the statue Thursday
President Trump has threatened to federally prosecute any vandals
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This news comes just a day after protesters were met with tear gas as they attempted to topple the statue. The monument of the former President has become a topic of conversation during the recent social justice movement because Jackson’s troubled personal history. Jackson owned more than 100 slaves and is responsible for the deaths of over 4,000 indigenous people Furthermore, his statue sits outside of the White House in Lafayette Park, a former slave market.
While Norton attempts to have the statue removes, President Donald Trump has pushed to have those who attempt to remove the statue prosecuted for federal crimes.
“I have authorized the Federal Government to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument, statue or other such Federal property in the U.S. with up to 10 years in prison,” Trump said.
As of now, there have been no reports of protesters being charged with federal crimes following Monday night’s events.
