The Lee County Chapter of the NAACP is renewing their calls to remove a pair of confederate symbols in Fort Myers.
The NAACP will hold a public rally Tuesday morning at 8:30 demanding the city relocate the bust of Robert E. Lee, and a painting of the confederate general. Both confederate symbols are located on city property.
MORE: Groups clash over Lee monument in Fort Myers
The NAACP feels the monument is a symbol of hate. Recently NAACP asked city council to move the bust from city property, either into a museum or a confederate cemetery. The city says they did not put the statue there in the first place, so they have no control over taking it down.
Instead, the statue is owned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The organization is a southern heritage group, and Fort Myers city leaders say they group has control over the statue.
Fox 4 has reached out to the United Daughters of the Confederacy on several occasions but they haven't responded to our requests for comments.
The NAACP also says they are protesting this morning over a portrait of General Lee hanging in the Lee County Commission chambers.
The NAACP plans to meet at the General Lee statue on Monroe street. Then they plan to march to the old courthouse on Main Street.
Supporters of the statue, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, plan to hold their own demonstration. The group feels the symbols are part of history. They will be attending the county commissioners meeting at 9:30 on Tuesday morning and will protest just before the meeting.
Fort Myers police say they will be here for security reasons. They want it to be a peaceful protest and encourage both sides to be respectful.
