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Hillsborough Co. commissioners vote to relocate Confederate statue from courthouse to cemetery

Confederate statue removed from Hillsborough County courthouse
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BREAKING | On Wednesday afternoon, Hillsborough County commissioners voted 4-2 (with Crist absent) to relocate the Confederate statue from the Old County courthouse in Tampa to the Brandon Family Cemetery. 

During the meeting, Hillsborough County resident Tom Skarritt offered to raise money to relocate the Confederate Memorial. Click here for the GoFundMe.

Commissioner Murman said she was in favor of moving the memorial if cost wasn't on taxpayers. 

ORIGINAL STORY | We are hours away from a potentially heated Hillsborough County Commissioners meeting over the future of a Confederate memorial statue in Tampa.

Protesters are expected to march before the meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Some county leaders are pushing to move the statue from its location on Pierce Street in Tampa, in front of the old court house, to a private cemetery. Commissioners voted 4 to 3 on June 21 to keep the memorial in place.

Since then, protesters have stepped up the opposition.

RELATED | Commissioners vote to keep Confederate war memorial in Hillsborough County, add diversity memorial

"When people come to this courthouse, they expect fairness and equality and to be treated as equals,” Florida Rep. Sean Shaw said.

The Confederate memorial could be moved if one of four commissioners who voted to keep it in place has a change of heart. Commissioner Les Miller said he’ll bring the issue to a vote Wednesday morning.

RELATED | Amid public outcry, City of Orlando moves Confederate statute

"These monuments were put on the courthouse properties across the Deep South and we all know why,” Miller said.

Removing the memorial could cost up to $100,000.

"I hope those remaining commissioners, one or two or three, will be brave enough to join those three who already voted to move this monument,” Frank Reddick, with Tampa City Council, said.