RICHMOND, Va. – Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced Friday afternoon that he has decided to postpone the previously scheduled Sept. 13 Monument Avenue Commission public meeting.
Stoney said he made the decision after consultation with the chairpersons of the Monument Avenue Commission, Richmond Police, local and state officials and community members.
“This decision is made in the interests of public safety, and to allow for a restructuring of the commission’s engagement with the public, promoting accessibility and constructive dialogue so more voices can be heard,” said Stoney in a press release.
The new date for the Monument Avenue Commission public meeting is planned for some time in October.
The postponement comes one week after Stoney changed the course of the commission and asked them to consider the removal or relocation of the Confederate statues on the city's iconic street.
He cited the events in Charlottesville about his decision as revealing the monuments' power as a "rallying point for division and intolerance and violence."
Stoney said he will expand on the next steps of the commission in the coming weeks.
If you have suggestions about the commission, you are asked to offer your input and suggestions here.
