Alabama Attorney General says Mobile must pay fine for removal of Semmes statue

PRESS RELEASE FROM ALABAMA ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL

(MONTGOMERY) — Attorney General Steve Marshall announced today his determination that the City of Mobile violated the Alabama Memorial Preservation Act by removing a historic statue previously located on public property.

The Memorial Preservation Act was passed in 2017 by the Alabama Legislature to protect
architecturally significant buildings, memorial buildings, memorial streets, and monuments
located on public property for 40 or more years. The Act specifically charges the Attorney
General with the duty of enforcement, much as he is authorized to prosecute all civil actions
necessary to protect the rights and interests of the State.

“On June 4, the City of Mobile removed a 120-year-old statue of Admiral Raphael Semmes from
public property within the city,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Now that the City has
acknowledged its intent to remove the monument permanently, the facts surrounding the
removal and a plain reading of the law led me to determine that the Act was violated. After
being notified of that determination, the City has agreed to pay the required fine of $25,000
without a court order.”

The legal agreement entered into today by the State and the City of Mobile is linked here.

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