A judge in Virginia is set to hear arguments in a lawsuit over Charlottesville’s decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
The controversy over the statue sparked the Aug. 12 “Unite the Right” rally that descended into violent chaos. Charlottesville has since shrouded the monument with a black tarp as a symbol of mourning for the woman who was killed.
Attorneys for both sides will be in court Friday for a hearing on whether the lawsuit should proceed. The city has asked that it be dismissed.
A group of plaintiffs that includes area residents and the Virginia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans sued after Charlottesville’s City Council voted earlier this year to remove the statue. They say that decision violates a state law on memorials for war veterans.
WATCH: Charlottesville covers Confederate statues in black shrouds