Federal Judge Halts Removal of Confederate Memorial at Arlington Cemetery

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order halting the removal of the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, following a lawsuit filed by two groups. The groups argued that the Department of Defense's plan to remove the memorial violated the National Environmental Policy Act and neglected to protect the surrounding grave sites. The judge's order prohibits any deconstruction, removal, or alteration of the memorial until further court action. A court hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday. The Army, which operates the cemetery, had completed the necessary preparations for the removal, stating that it would not have significant environmental impacts. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin expressed disappointment in the removal plans and proposed relocating the memorial to the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.