Judge Halts Removal of Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery

The Army had already began removing the monument, despite opposition from Republican lawmakers and some of the U.S. public.

Workers prepare a Confederate Memorial for removal in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Dec. 18, 2023. Kevin Wolf/AP Photo

A federal judge on Dec. 18 issued a temporary order halting the planned removal of a Confederate monument at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, according to reports.

Work had already begun to remove what’s known as the Confederate Memorial, which was erected in 1914 in honor of soldiers who died fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The monument hadn’t yet been dismantled when the order was issued and remains in place on cemetery grounds.