GAINESVILLE, FL—Protesters and supporters gathered around the confederate statue known as "Old Joe" on May 23rd. The statue was gifted to the city by the Daughters of the Confederacy and sits on county land, in the heart of Gainesville. The Alachua County Commission was having its third and final meeting to decide the fate of Old Joe. On a 4-to-1 decision (Lee Pinkoson dissented), Commissioners voted to remove it.
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KEYWORDS: protest, confederacy, gainesville, ol' joe, alachua county, black lives matter, take it down, racism, white supremacy