Democratic Lexington Mayor Jim Gray says he is taking steps to remove confederate statues in the city.
Gray tweeted on Saturday that his decision was accelerated in response to the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. He said he had intended to make the announcement later in the week.
I am taking action to relocate the Confederate statues. We have thoroughly examined this issue, and heard from many of our citizens.
— Jim Gray (@JimGrayLexKY) August 12, 2017
The tragic events in Charlottesville today have accelerated the announcement I intended to make next week.
— Jim Gray (@JimGrayLexKY) August 12, 2017
Gray will ask on Tuesday the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council to petition to the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission to have statues in the city relocated. The commission oversees military heritage buildings, monuments and other resources.
Gray specifically pointed to Confederate statues of John C. Breckinridge and John Hunt Morgan on the lawn of the former courthouse. The site will soon be a new visitors center.
The Lexington Herald Leader reported in 2016 that Gray had then decided to keep the statues but wanted to add historical context to them.