To date, there have been 4 arrests made in the vandalism of a 100-year old Confederate monument in Durham, North Carolina.

A group of Socialists, representing the World Workers Party sought to create the same kind of news-grabbing mayhem that went on in Charlottesville over the weekend, so they descended on the statue of a lone, unnamed Confederate soldier.

State law prohibits the removal of monuments without state approval.

Law enforcement was told to stand down, as authorities feared giving the protesters what they wanted – a riot to point back at and say, “See? Your government is oppressing the people!”

A statement from the Durham County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page announces the arrests, so far:

Durham, N.C. – The Durham County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a fourth suspect in the removal and vandalism of a Confederate statue. Deputies arrested Peter Gull Gilbert (DOB 4/3/1978) of Durham. The following individuals were also charged in connection with a protest on Monday, August 15.

Dante Emmanuel Strobino (DOB 12/22/1981)

Ngoc Loan Tran (DOB 8/7/1993)

Takiyah Fatima Thompson (DOB 9/13/1994)

The Durham County Sheriff’s Office consulted with the Durham County District Attorney’s Office. All four suspects are facing the following charges:

• 14-132 Disorderly conduct by injury to a statue (Class II Misdemeanor)
• 14-127 Damage to real property (statue as a fixture (Class I Misdemeanor)
• 14-288.2(c) Participation in a riot with property damage in excess of $1,500 (Class H Felony)
• 14-288.2(e) inciting others to riot where there is property damage in excess of $1,500 (Class F Felony)

The Sheriff’s Office continues to search for individuals who participated in the removal and vandalism of a historical statue. Additional arrests are expected.

Good.

It pays to look at the motives behind such destructive and angry public actions, and I promise you, it has nothing to do with the Civil War, or even slavery.