Protesters clash over Confederate monument outside Grayson Co. Courthouse

SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) - Dozens of protesters gathered at the Grayson County courthouse Thursday afternoon, in response to petitions regarding both the removal and the keeping of the Confederate monument on the square.

Terrell Hughes, a Grayson County native, started a petition to have the statue removed.

“We haven’t counted up the wet signatures just yet, but on Change.org, we’re about 450 and counting.” Hughes said.

The statue, erected in 1896 is said to be one of the first Confederate monuments at a Texas courthouse.

“We see these statues getting taken down throughout the world, and to find out that there’s a confederate statue (here)- one of the first confederate statues erected on a court lawn, it’s time to remove that systematic hate.” Hughes said.

Hughes said the statue is a symbol of hate and community members he’s spoke with said it should have been taken down years ago.

“The systematic racism still exists to this day here in Grayson county.” Hughes said.

Ken Smith said he’s lived in Grayson County his entire life, and doesn’t think the monument is as big a deal as it was hundreds of years ago.

“Everybody agrees that (Death of George Floyd) was horrible, everybody agrees that officer should be in jail- and justice is being served.” Smith said. “When these things happen, and these happen every couple years.... this big out-pours, some of us just feel that our voices aren’t being heard.”

Smith said the monument honors the soldiers who fought and lost their lives for the confederacy.

“I feel very strongly, strongly as these fine Americans feel, that it should it come down. I feel very strongly that we should keep our history.” Smith said.

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