KGMI News

SEATTLE (AP) – Seattle Mayor Ed Murray called for a monument to Confederate soldiers at a Capitol Hill cemetery and a statue of Vladimir Lenin in the Fremont neighborhood to be taken down.

In a statement to KING-TV Thursday Mayor Murray said the monument and statue represent “historic injustices” and that their existence causes pain among those “who have been impacted by these atrocities.” He also said they are symbols of hate, racism and violence.

The monument and statue are on private property.

Murray’s statement is stronger than a previous response where he expressed concerns about the Confederate monument to the operator of Lake View Cemetery.

Lake View Cemetery closed Wednesday after receiving threats about the monument and said it would remain closed until Monday “due to the controversy over Confederate memorials.”

An online petition asking to have the Confederate memorial removed had gathered nearly 5,000 supporters as of Friday morning.

 

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