The operation to remove the monument came after a decision taken by the Oklahoma Supreme Court this summer, that it violated state rules that prohibit the use of public property to support “any sect, church, denomination or system of religion”.
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Officials say no taxpayer money was used to remove the monument. The original was destroyed when a 29 year old man, with a history of mental instabilities, crashed his auto into it and crumbled it into many pieces.
A judge then ordered that the monument, which is 6 feet tall, be removed from capitol grounds by October. 12. A handful of reporters were notified Monday afternoon and allowed to witness its removal. The Oklahoman reported it’s being installed less than two miles away at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
The Office of Management and Enterprise Services hired Wilbert Memorials, the private contractor that built and installed the monument, to perform the removal.
A granite monument of the Ten Commandments that has sparked controversy since its installation on the Oklahoma Capitol grounds was moved early Tuesday to a private conservative think tank for storage.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers provided increased security at the Capitol during the process out of concern of protestors.
Prescott said he was glad to see the statue go.
“This is a historical event”, Reynolds said. “Now we know we have to change the Constitution”.
A group of lawmakers also plans to file legislation repealing that section of the constitution, but that could take at least a year.
Workers remove the Ten Commandments monument from its base on the…
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The monument attracted controversy and heated discussion since it was approved by the state legislature back in 2012.
