Back in August, former Birmingham Mayor William Bell had a confederate monument in downtown’s Linn Park partially covered up with plywood. Looks like it’s going to stay that way for awhile.

Via Kyle Sullivan Facebook.jpg Plywood covering Confederate monument will stay for now — Photo by Kyle Sullivan

Why?

After the August 11 Charlottesville, Virginia “Unite The Right” rally turned into a deadly protest, calls for the removal of Civil War monuments grew across the country.

Birmingham, Alabama, confederate, monument, Linn Park — Former Birmingham Mayor William Bell speaking about covering up the confederate monument in Linn Park in August 2017. Via YouTube.

Why A Lawsuit?

After the city of Birmingham built the plywood structure covering the base of the monument, the state of Alabama sued the City of Birmingham.

The state’s suit claims the move violated a state law that bars the removal or alteration of historic monuments. The law, called “The Alabama Memorial Preservation Act of 2017”, was passed in May.

What Now?

The plywood box stays until April. Next up is another hearing. Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Graffeo scheduled one for April 13.

Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Lynn Park, Birmingham, Alabama — Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

The judge made his decision after the state attorney general’s office and the city “filed a document agreeing to certain facts about the case,” according to the Associated Press.

Some of the facts include the history of the memorial (it’s 113 years old) and its location in Birmingham’s Linn park.

Will The Law Stay?

According to WBRC, one Alabama lawmaker “is moving to get rid of the law which the Attorney General is using to sue Birmingham and possibly fine the city $25,000 a day for violating it.”

Past reports noted that a GoFundMe account had been set up for the city to pay the possible fine.