Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced on Sunday that his government will remove the huge pedestal in Richmond, where the statue of General Robert E. Lee of the South Army was located until earlier this year. The announcement shows a turnaround since September, when the statue was removed, but the Democratic governor said the 12-meter pedestal, now covered in graffiti, should remain. 

His government also announced plans to transfer ownership of the grassy island in the middle of the roundabout where the statue was located to the city of Richmond. About a month before Northam resigned, the move took place, with Glenn Youngkin, who was less enthusiastic about removing the statue in the Republican governor's election. The certificate of a country that belonged to the Commonwealth in the 19th century was a request from the city to bring the package under local control, Yarmosky said. She said state ownership  created a headache for logistic maintenance and safety. 

Preliminary work on the  removal of the base will begin on Monday and the project is expected to be essentially completed by December. 31, according to the press release. The 1890's unique bronze equestrian work, Lee Statue, is located in the center of the roundabout and is one of a collection of other South Army statues along Richmond's historic Monument Avenue. 

Northam ordered his dismissal in the summer of 2020 in a national protest in Minneapolis following the killing of George Floyd by police officers. However, the proceedings have hampered his plans to this year.