Poll shows support for preserving Confederate monuments

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Louisiana State University survey has found a majority of people in the state oppose taking down Confederate monuments.

The survey released Monday examined feelings statewide about New Orleans' plan to remove prominent Confederate statues, including a towering figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Seventy-three percent of respondents said they opposed removing the Confederate memorials. The poll found 88 percent of whites opposed removal, while 47 percent of blacks also opposed removal.

A different poll looking only at New Orleans residents recently found about half in favor of removal.

Upon the urging of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the City Council voted in December to remove the monuments.

The poll, which had a plus-or-minus 3 percent margin of error, was based on interviews conducted in February with 1,001 people.