A white nationalist group claimed credit for hanging a “patriot, hero, statesman” sign to replace a plaque removed from the statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis in the Kentucky Capitol Rotunda.
People associated with Identity Evropa placed the placard on the statue Monday, the group said on Twitter Tuesday night. But the timing of the act was disputed by state officials.
State officials said they quickly removed the placard and are reviewing security measures.
A picture shared by the organization shows that its sign matched the original plaque’s inscription of “Patriot – Hero – Statesman.” The original plaque was removed March 11. The group’s sign also said, “Our history will not be erased.”
The group claiming credit has been monitored.
“Identity Evropa is at the forefront of the racist ‘alt-right’s’ effort to recruit white, college-aged men and transform them into the fashionable new face of white nationalism,”according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. “Rather than denigrating people of color, the campus-based organization focuses on raising white racial consciousness, building community based on shared racial identity and intellectualizing white supremacist ideology.”
Pamela Trautner, who is the director of communications in the state’s Finance and Administration Cabinet, said the sign was briefly put on the statue Saturday.
“As soon as our staff noticed it, we took it down,” she said. It was the first time such material has been left at the statue since the original plaque was removed, she added.
Putting up signs anywhere in the Capitol’s rotunda or on the grounds with any type of adhesive or nails is not allowed, as it can damage the stone, marble or other building materials, Trautner added.
The state will review its practices regarding security around the statue, according to Trautner.
The removal of the original plaque led to displeasure among many people with historical interested in the work Davis did for the country.
Davis, a native of Kentucky served in the Mexican War and was secretary of war under President Franklin Pierce before the Civil War.
