Final decision on Asheville’s Confederate statue stirs emotions on both sides of debate

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The decision to remove a prominent Confederate statue in downtown Asheville is now final, and folks on both sides of the argument had plenty to say.

The unanimous decision from the North Carolina Supreme Court was announced Friday, March 22, rejecting a lawsuit challenging the city’s removal of the Vance Monument in Pack Square Plaza.

The monument was erected in honor of former North Carolina governor and slave owner Zebulon Vance, who was born in Buncombe County. Vance was opposed to rights for Blacks, believing their place was in servitude.

In 2020, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and the Asheville City Council voted to remove the statue, saying it “had become a public safety threat in the community.”

VANCE MONUMENT WILL REMAIN TORN DOWN AFTER NC SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF CITY

The monument, which has stood in Pack Square Plaza since 1898, was dismantled down to its base in May 2021. The Society for the Historical Preservation of the 26th Regiment North Carolina Troops sued to stop the removal.

“The public space is for the public good, and I don’t believe anything associated with slavery or the slave trade has been or ever will be considered a public good,” Ramsey Kamel said.

Asheville native Broden Smoke was not happy about the ruling.

“I, personally, would like to see come back,” Smoke, a server at The Noodle Shop, said. “I always thought it was the iconic part of town and resembled many other beautiful monuments like it across the nation.”

He suggested officials should have kept the monument but changed its name and purpose.

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said the aim now is to transform the space into a place that celebrates inclusivity.