Caddo Confederate Monument Hearing Draws Crowd

Dozens gathered at the Caddo Courthouse Tuesday to show their support for the removal of the Confederate Monument. In the courthouse, lawyers for Caddo Parish and the Daughters of the Confederacy were turning in legal briefs for Judge Craig Marcotte to go over and come to a decision in the next few days.

The people out front, calling for the removal of the monument were very vocal about their feelings about it. Some saying that Tuesday marked the beginning of the 90 days Judge Marcotte has to come to a decision about the monument. Several people at the courthouse had protest signs and were advertising to passers-by their anger toward Caddo Parish as to why the monument still stands.

A local gun-club showed up armed to protect those standing in front of the courthouse. After a threatening altercation at a protest over the weekend, with armed people who oppose the removal of the statue. The protesters called on the gun-club for protection, and they say they'll be in attendance to every protest and demonstration from here on out.

The removal of the statue isn't the only message from the group. They're calling for an overhaul of the justice system, that in many of their experiences has been less than fair toward people of color. They believe that having the monument in front of Caddo Courthouse sends a message that African Americans will not be treated fairly in court, and is glorifying a period of time that was oppressive and abusive to black Americans.