Controversial Mouton Statue To Be Moved After LCG Reaches Deal with UDC

According to a report from The Current, a deal has been reached to remove the Alfred Mouton statue in Downtown Lafayette.

The Current report states that the United Daughters of the Confederacy "agreed to surrender its legal defense of the Alfred Mouton statue" just 10 days before the matter was set to go to trial.

An Advocate report echoed the news, stating that "the Confederacy has surrendered"—a choice that Lafayette attorney Jerome Moreaux said the United Daughters of the Confederacy made rather than revealing their identities.

Move the Mindset has led the charge for the removal of the Mouton statue for years, citing the inherent racism behind the Confederate monument. Previous attempts to remove the statue had been unsuccessful until 2020 when Lafayette's new Mayor-President Josh Guillory and a national cry for social justice proved to be a one-two punch, finally providing enough momentum to bring the issue to the forefront.

Last July, Guillory said the controversy surrounding the monument was both a test and a question for the Lafayette community.

At its root, this is a spiritual challenge. This is a test of our most deeply held beliefs and values. It’s a question of who we are and who we want to be as a people.

A statement from Move the Mindset claims this is a day for all of Acadiana to celebrate.

For ninety-nine years, this Confederate statue has stood at the gateway of Lafayette, a symbol of one of the ugliest and most shameful eras in American history. We celebrate today for all of Acadiana.

Details in the Current reports state that LCG has agreed to pay "up to $20,000 to move the statue" in addition to funds that will be provided to insure the Mouton statue "during transport and installation."

LCG will pay up to $20,000 to move the statue and construct a base for it at a new location determined by UDC within the state of Louisiana, and purchase $5,000 to insure it during transport and installation. UDC has 45 days to pick a new home for Alfred Mouton, or LCG can “dispose of the statute as it sees fit

See the entire report from The Current here as this breaking story continues to develop.