Second Confederate statue vandalized with red substance this month
Another statue of a Confederate general was vandalized with a “red, paint-like substance” around midnight on Aug. 22, Richmond police said.
The bloodying of the monument to Ambrose Powell “A.P.” Hill, Jr., which houses its namesake’s remains underneath, came just weeks after the Robert E. Lee statue on the historic Monument Avenue was sprayed with a similar red substance. The Lee statue had the letters “BLM” written on it in addition to the paint splatters.
Hill was a lieutenant general during the Civil War and commanded the Third Corps of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
This instance of vandalism occurred in the wake of the recent destruction of the “Silent Sam” Confederate statue by protestors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Aug. 20.
The Hill statue is located at the intersection of Laburnum Avenue and Hermitage Road. Amid talks of removing the statues along Monument Avenue, the Hill statue has been largely left out of the discussion due to its location.
The city’s department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is responsible for the monument’s clean-up, which could cost the city thousands of dollars. Richmond police said if damages to the monument exceed $1,000, the perpetrators could face felony charges. Police are offering a monetary reward to anyone who can help lead them to the responsible party.
Logan Reardon, Contributing Writer
