NOLA statue of Jefferson Davis taken down

The second Confederate- era monument in New Orleans slated for removal was taken down early Thursday.

Masked crews worked in the dark Thursday morning to remove the monument to former Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The crews’ faces were covered to protect their identity as the city has said there have been threats made against those participating in the removal. A crew could be seen atop a crane, wrapping the statue in bubble wrap.

Crews showed up shortly after 3 a. m. CT and the removal of the statue was done shortly after 5 a. m. as a sling and bubble wrap were put around the statue before it was put on the bed of a truck.

“This morning we continue our march to reconciliation by removing the Jefferson Davis Confederate statue from its pedestal of reverence,” tweeted Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

The monument had stood at the corner of Jefferson Davis Parkway and Canal Street for 106 years.

Dozens of vocal opponents and proponents of Confederate- era monuments gathered amid a large police presence shortly after midnight as the second of the four Confederate- era monuments was prepared for removal.

The two factions were separated behind barricades, just feet apart from each other. Shouts, insults and profanity laced the verbal exchanges.

The Jefferson Davis Memorial was removed about 2 ½ weeks after the monument to the Battle of Liberty Place was taken down.

The city began the process to remove the monuments late in 2015, but court challenges tied up the move until recently.

Also slated for removal are the P. G. T. Beauregard monument and a statue of Robert E. Lee.