JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Northside Coalition of Jacksonville will hold a rally before the Jaguars' game in Downtown Sunday calling for the removal of Confederate monuments.
The protest is expected to be at noon at the intersection of Union Street and Main Street.
The organization says the the purpose of the protest is to put pressure on Shad Khan and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to have them condemn the Women of the Confederacy statue, currently at Springfield Park.
"We need the NFL and the Jaguars to make a touchdown and win the game against the racism which Confederate monuments represent," Ben Frazier said. “The league should stand by its words and follow through on its statements about the racism that Black Americans are constantly faced with.”
The Northside Coalition citied a statement made by Khan in June 2020 as protests against racial injustice swept across the country:
"Racism, in all its forms, will kill. It kills people, it kills communities, it kills dreams, it kills hope."
Last month, a bill that would have removed the controversial monument in Springfield Park was withdrawn as it did not have enough support to pass.
City Councilman Aaron Bowman proposed a plan a week later that would ultimately lead to the removal of the monument. He said at the time he hoped the plan would be completed by July 22.