JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — UPDATE: Jacksonville mayor: Confederate monuments are not my priority
More than 100 people commented on City Council President Anna Lopez Brosche's proposal to remove Confederate statues from public land at a City Council meeting Tuesday.
The debate over the statues heated up after the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this month.
One hundred and twenty-three people signed up to speak to council members and each person was given 90 seconds.
The City Council began accepting public comment on the statues just before 8:30 p.m. and continued until just after 11 p.m.
Speakers expressed their opinions with passion. Some said the statues represent slavery and racism while others said the statues honor Southern history.
Before the meeting began, and several times during the meeting, council members stressed that no legislation on removing statues and monuments has been put forth at this time.
READ ACTION NEWS JAX REPORTER LARRY SPRUILL'S TWEETS FROM THE MEETING:
WATCH THE FULL CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AS BROADCASTED ON THE ACTION NEWS JAX FACEBOOK PAGE (Warning: May contain explicit language):