Confederate Monument Will Not Be Removed From Courthouse

Yesterday, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury took a vote on the fate of the South's Defenders Monument on the lawn of the Courthouse.

The monument was erected on the lawn of the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse in 1915 to honor those who served in the Civil War from around the area.

The vote tasked the police jury with the decision to either move the monument to a new location or leave it where it currently stands. KPLC had cameras on-hand to document the voting process. Watch the coverage here.

When the votes were tallied, the result was ten to five in favor of keeping the monument in its current location.

The decision was met with disappointment from those who had asked not only the police jury but also the Lake Charles City Council to remove the monument from the courthouse lawn.

Those in support of the monument praised the decision and say they believe the statue is part of Southwest Louisiana's history and it honors soldiers from SWLA who fought in the Civil War and is not racially motivated.