Protesters in Washington, D.C, knocked down and burned a statue of the Confederate General Albert Pike after a day of protests in June.
About 80 or more demonstrators jumped and cheered after the others used ropes to topple the monument in the Justice Square neighborhood Friday night.
The fallen statue – the only confederation monument in the national capital – was immediately ignited, with one protester filmed lighting a cigarette at embers as others shouted “important black life!”
The statue is among many in the United States and overseas cities that were targeted by civil unrest related to the Minneapolis police killings of George Floyd.
Officials throughout the country have promised to re-evaluate their monuments, in some cases promising to bring them down immediately. In other countries, protesters are taking action on themselves to damage or tear down controversial statues.
President Trump late Friday called for the arrest of everyone involved in Pike’s removal.
“The D.C. police are not doing their work because they are watching a torn & burning statue. These people must immediately be arrested,” the president said tweeted. “Disgrace to our country!”
