A federal judge has reinstated a restraining order to keep a monument to Confederate veterans at Arlington National Cemetery in place, at least for now.
The order was issued by U.S. District Judge Rossie Alston, a Trump appointee.
🚨BREAKING: temporary restraining order has been issued by Judge Rossie Alston – barring the removal of a memorial to Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. pic.twitter.com/cGVoMXorpf
— Ian Jaeger (@IanJaeger29) December 18, 2023
Per NBC4 Washington:
A group called Defend Arlington, affiliated with a group called Save Southern Heritage Florida, filed a lawsuit Sunday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, seeking the restraining order. A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday.
Work to remove the memorial had begun Monday before the restraining order was issued, but the memorial remains in place on cemetery grounds.
The cemetery had said on Friday that it expected to complete the removal this week. It said the removal was required by Congress, and that it was complying with environmental and historic-preservation regulations.
The Confederate Memorial in Arlington Cemetery is getting dismantled today
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 18, 2023
pic.twitter.com/1IbhuSHZ78
But the lawsuit accused the Army, which runs the cemetery, of violating regulations in seeking a hasty removal of the memorial.
Over 40 House Republicans wrote Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, expressing their concerns that the Pentagon's Naming Commission overstepped its bounds by ordering the removal of the memorial.
The commission has removed the names of Confederate soldiers from ships, bases and other federally-owned military assets since 2021.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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