20 August, 2017
City officials have been discussing whether to remove or relocate the city's Confederate statues, a conversation hastened by violence that broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend. A police spokeswoman says extra patrols will be in the park to prevent further vandalism.
Earlier this week, Rawlings proposed forming a task force that would report back to the city's Office of Cultural Affairs and make a recommendation to the City Council around November 8 regarding the future of the statues.
The vandalism comes ahead of a planned rally against white supremacy Saturday evening. The monument has a large stone pillar with an anonymous Confederate soldier on top.
While the parks crew was cleaning the statue, one crew member said, a vandal walked up, urinated on the statue and ran away.
Supporters of keeping the city's Confederate monuments have also posted on social media about a counterprotest, but it was unclear Friday whether that event would occur.
Dallas police said they would block driving access to the areas.
