Dallas votes to immediately remove statue of Robert E. Lee

The Dallas City Council on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to immediately remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, joining a growing list of cities that have decided to do away with Civil War-era monuments, according to a local news outlet. 

Most of the members supported the resolution, according to Tristan Hallman of The Dallas Morning News. 

Three African-American members serving on the council proposed a resolution last week calling for the immediate removal of Confederate memorials in the Texas city.

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The resolution had also reportedly proposed changing the names of roads and parks in the area that are associated with the Confederacy.

The decision comes as the country is undergoing a contentious debate on whether to remove such Civil War-era monuments.

The spotlight on the issue became magnified last month after white nationalist groups — demonstrating against the removal of a different Lee statue in Charlottesville, Va. — violently clashed with anti-racist counterprotesters.

President Trump denounced the removal of such statues shortly after the demonstrations in Charlottesville unfolded, saying it is “sad” that the “history and culture” of the country is “being ripped apart” by the removal of Confederate statues.