The Confederate monument in downtown Tampa is staying put despite the passionate argument by some to take it down.

Hillsborough County commissioners made the decision on Wednesday.

  • By 4-3 vote, commissioners vote to leave statue alone
  • Commissioner Les Miller made initial proposal
  • Heated comments by residents on both sides

The division and emotion was clear inside the packed commission meeting.

"An American veteran is a veteran," one man said of keeping the monument. "They deserve to be respected. To disrespect a group of American veterans is to disrespect them all."

In support of removing the monument, one woman said, "I'm all about history, I'm all about preserving, but you don't need a monument on the courthouse property. You don't need a monument on public property to maintain history."

Commissioner Les Miller initially called for its removal from public property. Many agree, saying the statue symbolizes hatred and racism.

But others see a different image -- a statue recognizing sacrifice of the confederate soldier.

The 4-3 vote came after more than an hour of public testimony. Commissioners also said they will consider putting a diversity mural behind the monument.

Save Southern Heritage, a group dedicated to the preservation of southern history, says the monument needs to stay.

"It's a veteran's memorial. It's parallel to a World War II monument that's on the other entrance of this building, so it should stay exactly where it is," the group’s David McCallister.

Commissioner Miller, a veteran himself, says he's heard from many of his constituents who get the same negative feelings he does every time they walk past it downtown.

A Confederate statue that had been standing at Lake Eola Park for a century was taken down Tuesday morning.