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NEW ORLEANS — The ground work to removed the Robert E. Lee statue from its pedestal in Lee Circle started on Thursday, May 18. Police closed a section of the circle so that streetcar power lines could be removed, clearing the way for heavy equipment to arrive.
Later on Thursday, the city announced that the removal work would begin the following morning at 9:00.
For most of the day on Friday, a large crowd gathered on Howard Avenue behind a barricade safety perimeter. A little after 6:00, the Lee statue was lifted from its perch.
The statue was originally erected in 1884 by the Robert E. Lee Monumental Association of New Orleans. The city plans to leave the column in place and to add some sort of a water feature to the circle while incorporating some sort of public art.
Check out the photo gallery below to see some of the day’s images.
The Robert E. Lee statue in New Orleans was erected in 1884 
The statue was at the center of Lee Circle 
Barricades kept the public a safe distance away from the work 
Some workers feared they could be targets for those who wanted the statue to stay 
Many of the workers at the scene covered their faces and wore gear to protect them from a gunshot 
A large crowd watched the work 
By mid afternoon, workers were ready to wrap and remove the statue 
Workers had to swing a line around the statue to lift it 
Workers carefully inspected the straps and connection to the crane 
Finally, the hardware was removed that kept the statue atop the pedestal 
