The auction block in downtown Fredericksburg where enslaved people were once sold has been removed by the city.
City crews removed the 800 pound stone from a prominent downtown corner Friday morning.
Calls to remove it grew louder after the 2017 white supremacist violence in Charlottesville. After community discussion and a study, city council decided in 2019 to remove the block and loan it to The Fredericksburg Area Museum.
Some local businesses sued over the decision and said they feared they would lose downtown visitors. In February, a judge ruled in favor of city council.
In recent days, the block had become a focus of people protesting police brutality and racism. Marches stopped and chanted "Remove the block."
