Lee monument being fenced; Agency says removal not imminent

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- A state agency is installing fencing around an enormous statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond that Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration has been fighting in court to remove.

The Department of General Services said Monday that the fencing was intended to ensure the safety of visitors and workers as part of the plan to prepare the site for the eventual removal of the statue, should a court clear the way.

With a lawsuit over the removal plans now before the Supreme Court of Virginia, an injunction is in place keeping the statue from being taken down.