Staff report

SALISBURY — City officials said Friday that they have had no discussions about the possible removal of a Confederate monument at West Innes and Church streets.

The statement was issued after a few dozen people gathered near the intersection about midnight Thursday after rumors that the statue was going to be moved circulated on social media.

Tensions have heightened across the country in recent days as some states and cities have removed Confederate monuments in the wake of last weekend’s violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, during a rally about whether a statue of Robert E. Lee should be removed.

The Salisbury monument is owned by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, but it’s unclear who owns the land the monument sits on.

The statue depicts an angel holding a Confederate soldier.

The city’s statement said officials believe a 2015 law passed by the N.C. General Assembly prevents the removal of such monuments without legislative approval. It said the city is consulting with the N.C. Department of Transportation about who owns the land beneath the monument, which is in the median of West Innes Street.

“As a reminder, any residents interested in gathering in support of the monument’s removal or protection must receive a permit to assemble from the Salisbury Police Department at 130 E. Liberty St.,” the statement said.