Verbal altercation sparks at A.P. Hill memorial site as crews remove pedestal, find remains

by: Delaney Murray

Posted: Dec 13, 2022 / 01:33 PM EST

Updated: Dec 13, 2022 / 01:33 PM EST

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Tensions continue to swirl around the removal of Richmond's last city-owned Confederate statue, as an argument broke out at the A.P. Hill memorial site on Tuesday morning.

8News crews at the scene witnessed a small group that claimed to be indirect descendants of A.P. Hill arriving at the site on Tuesday, Dec. 13 wearing clothing that featured Confederate flags. A bystander then questioned why the group was wearing Confederate symbols and an argument ensued.

During the argument, the bystander reportedly pulled back his jacket to reveal he was carrying, what appeared to be, a gun.

The argument was only verbal and did not become physical, according to the 8News crew at the scene. The gun was not used.

A police presence was already at the scene before the argument began, but an additional backup from the Richmond Police Department arrived after the argument. The argument reportedly began to calm down after more police arrived.

8News has reached out to Richmond Police for more information on the incident.

The A.P. Hill statue, which has been in Richmond for over 130 years, is the last of Richmond's city-owned Confederate statues to be removed.

The indirect descendants of Hill initially tried to block the city from removing the monument, but their motion was rejected by a Richmond Circuit Court judge earlier this month.

The statue itself was removed on Monday, Dec. 12. The pedestal was removed on Tuesday and the remains of A.P. Hill were located.

What will happen to the statue now is still being determined in court. While the indirect descendants want both the statue and remains to be moved to the Cedar Mountain battlefield in Culpeper, the City of Richmond wants the statue to be donated to the Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.

For now, the statue will be put into storage until a final decision is made.

was removed on Monday, Dec. 12 Black History Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia.