Last Saturday, Charlottesville’s Black history museum melted down the statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. It's important to understand that Confederate statues have come down around the country chiefly as the result of illegal direct action. crimethinc.com/StatuesDown A thread.🧵⬇️

The statue had been a rallying point for fascists, including the "Unite the Right" rally in 2017 during which one of them murdered Heather Heyer. For years, anti-racists fruitlessly requested the removal of Confederate statues. Far-right politicians responded with laws prohibiting their removal.