Race row statues to be draped in black

Charlottesville city council voted to drape two Confederate statues in black fabric during a chaotic meeting packed with irate residents who screamed and swore at councillors over the response to a white nationalist rally.

The anger at Monday night’s meeting, during which three people were arrested, forced the council to abandon its agenda and focus instead on the tragedy.

Covering the statues is intended to signal the city’smourningforheather Heyer, who was killed when a car crashed into a crowd protesting against the rally.

The meeting was the first since the Unite the Right event.

The demonstrators arrived partly to protest at the council’s vote to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee.