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Crews remove parts of Confederate monument in Portsmouth that’s been at center of city controversy

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PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Crews are still on scene after removing a piece of Portsmouth's Confederate monument that sits at the intersection of Court Street and High Street Wednesday morning.

The monument has been a huge discussion over the past few months of whether it was to be removed after nationwide controversy over Confederate monuments due to the history behind it.

During a protest to remove the monument on June 10, 45-year-old Christopher Lawrence Greenwas severely injured after protesters ripped off parts of the monument on Court Street.

Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene announced on August 17 that Portsmouth Sen. Louise Lucas, NAACP members, school board members and public defenders were among several felony warrants issued in relation to the June Confederate monument protest.

The Portsmouth Police Department is still trying to identify 13 other individuals associated with the incident.

In July, City Council voted in favor to relocate the monument in a storage area, but did not confirm the location.