VA Police Chief On Paid Leave After Confederate Monument Charge

A Virginia police chief has been placed on leave after she sought felony charges against a state senator and other Black leaders over damage to a Confederate monument.

A spokesperson for the city of Portsmouth, Virginia said Police Chief Angela Greene is on paid leave for three weeks, but would not comment further. A source told local news station WAVY that an internal investigation is underway.

Greene charged State Senator Louise Lucas and other Black community members with conspiracy to commit a felony against a Confederate monument after it was defaced during protests in mid-August. 

Greene's charges for Lucas were based on a speech she gave hours before the structure was damaged. Lucas' supporters argued the case is flimsy and violates free speech.

The destruction of confederate monuments comes amid racial tensions in the U.S. — which many protesters targeting Confederate monuments as symbols of white supremacy.