Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas is facing two felony charges stemming from damage done to a Confederate monument during protests back in June, WAVY reports.
According to the report, Lucas is one of several others, including other local leaders, who are facing charges of conspiracy to commit a felony and injury to a monument in excess of $1,000.
CNN reports that charges have also been filed against a Portsmouth school board member, three public defenders and local NAACP chapter members.
The attempts to dismantle the monument lead to the “life threatening” and “permanent injury,” of a man, Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Green said during a news conference on Monday.
Lucas, a longtime Democrat who has served on the state Senate since 1992, is the first Black woman to serve as president pro tempore of the chamber. So far, she has not responded to the charges lobbed against her.
According to WAVY, police did not directly confirm why Lucas was facing those charges, however, body camera footage from June 10 showed Lucas telling officers that protesters were going to paint the statue and telling officers “you can not arrest them.”
The ACLU of Virginia and officials, including Gov. Ralph Northam, have questioned the charges brought against the state senator
“TAKE NOTE: Police, not a prosecutor, got a magistrate to charge Sen. Lucas & other protesters with felonies,” the ACLU of Virginia tweeted out. “This is another example of the disparate policing Black people continue to experience daily. It is also an example of why civilian review of policing is important.”
TAKE NOTE: Police, not a prosecutor, got a magistrate to charge Sen. Lucas & other protesters with felonies.This is another example of the disparate policing Black people continue to experience daily. It is also an example of why civilian review of policing is important. https://t.co/nqDPr4xXZl
— ACLU of Virginia (@ACLUVA) August 18, 2020
“It’s deeply troubling that on the verge of Virginia passing long-overdue police reform, the first Black woman to serve as our Senate Pro Tempore is suddenly facing highly unusual charges,” Northam added.
It’s deeply troubling that on the verge of Virginia passing long-overdue police reform, the first Black woman to serve as our Senate Pro Tempore is suddenly facing highly unusual charges.@SenLouiseLucas, I look forward to seeing you in Richmond tomorrow—so we can get to work. https://t.co/flI9W5HnYH
— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) August 17, 2020
The Virginia Legislative Black Caucus also questioned the timing of the charges noting that “Sen. Lucas plans to patron a bill this Special Session that will strengthen the ability to independently investigate police departments statewide.”
“This timely, suspiciously retaliatory attack on the first Black person and Woman to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Virginia State Senate is unacceptable,” the VLBC added.
The VLBC strongly condemns the suspiciously timed and seemingly retaliatory actions by the Portsmouth Police against Senate President Pro Tempore @SenLouiseLucas. Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/3wKYnzL2nR
— VLBC (@VaBlackCaucus) August 17, 2020
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