BLM protesters tear down Albert Pike statue on Juneteenth, Internet says he had 'nothing to do with slavery'
Amid the massive protests in the United States over systemic racism and police brutality after George Floyd's tragic death, Black Lives Matter protesters toppled the statue of Confederate Brigadier General Albert Pike at Judiciary Square in DC and set it on fire. The author, poet and prominent member of the Freemasons was said to be a strong proponent of slavery. Around 80 to 100 people were gathered there around 11 pm on Friday, June 19, according to a Fox News report.
Situated on 3rd and D Streets, Northwest, the Albert Pike statue has been a point of debate for many years and is the only Confederate monument in the nation’s capital. The news first dropped on Twitter as several videos from the incident started trending on the micro-blogging site. "Just now in Washington, DC, BLM Protestors topple Statue of Albert Pike in Judiciary Square. He was a Confederate officer," one tweet read and another said, "BLM demonstrators just toppled and are burning a statue of Confederate Brigadier General Albert Pike, at Judiciary Square in DC."
"While protesters are scaling the Albert Pike statue, figuring out where to wrap the ropes, a group of people on the ground are holding on to the ropes. Another group is forming a circle around them, standing between them and cops. Police are not intervening," one tweet read and another said, "Right now they are struggling to pull down the statue. Some are suggesting to wrap more rope around the head, other suggestions being thrown out too."
President Donald Trump tweeted about the incident saying, "The DC Police are not doing their job as they watch a statue be ripped down & burn. These people should be immediately arrested. A disgrace to our Country! @MayorBowser." It soon started a debate on whether or not he had anything to do with slavery. "I care about history... a bit inconsistent of me, but I don't mind seeing that one fall... Albert Pike wasn't just a Confederate, he penned Morals and Dogma," one tweet read.
One Twitter user wrote, "Albert Pike, whose statue was just removed in DC, was a Confederate traitor who served with Ben McCulloch in the western theater of the war. Ben McCulloch gave us this great Steve Earle song," and another said, "Albert Pike — Specialized in claims on behalf of Native Americans against the federal government. 1852, he represented Creek Nation before the Supreme Court in a claim regarding ceded tribal land. In 1854 he advocated for the Choctaw and Chickasaw."
"Albert Pike is a complex figure and is associated with many things. For example, he is associated with the Scottish Rite. If you actually KNEW anything about Masonry, you wouldn’t be running your mouth here," one said and another posted, "Pike had nothing to do with slavery. If the stupid had done their homework, he was a poet, teacher, helped the native Americans. England 'gifted' his statue to America."