CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County leaders are taking steps to keep vandals from destroying a Confederate monument that has been defaced twice.
The monument is now covered by plywood to try to keep it from happening again. It also has metal framing up for acrylic glass that will soon be put in place.
IMAGES: Confederate monument again vandalized in Charlotte
A lot of people said it’s about time something was done to protect it.
PAST COVERAGE: Confederate monument in midtown vandalized again
"To neglect our history is to forget our history," Jacqueline Tatsis said.
But not everyone agrees with Tatsis that this is a part of history worth preserving.
In the past two months, the Confederate memorial on North Kings Drive has been vandalized twice.
The first time someone smeared a concrete mixture across the front. After it was cleaned, someone spray-painted the names of the Charleston shooting victims and a quote from President Barack Obama.
County Manager Dena Diorio said the repeated vandalism has taken its toll.
"If it got vandalized again, their ability to rehabilitate it again would be much diminished," Diorio said.
So they decided to build a $1,600 metal frame with the acrylic glass hoping to prevent permanent damage.
There had been public discussion about removing the monument but that can't happen now after a new state law was passed protecting historic landmarks.
County officials said they expect the project to be completed next week.
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