Protestors meet outside North County's Jefferson Davis Memorial

Demonstrators for and against the removal of the Jefferson Davis Memorial gathered outside the monument near Ridgefield on Friday, Aug. 28. The protest coincided with the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington in which thousands marched the streets of Washington D.C. and Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech “I Have a Dream.”

One of the organizers for the protest against the monument was Philip Samwel. Samwel said the group was protesting to remove Jefferson Davis Park because “it’s a symbol of hate.” Samwel explained that the protest was organized through a small grassroots campaign and the turnout of about 35 to 40 people was expected as event organizers wanted to keep the head count under 50 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Samwel said he started to organize events such as this because “monuments like this are a symbol of racial inequality and racial injustice.”

“As long as symbols like this are out there and especially in public view, things aren’t going to change,” he said.

Samwel later played King’s famous speech from a megaphone while walking up and down Maplecrest Road in Ridgefield where the monument sits to honor the anniversary of the historic protest.

The monument sits on private property owned and operated by the Pacific Northwest chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Past commander of the chapter, John Sigmon, sits on the board that owns the property. Sigmon, who has spent time in this chapter for about 20 years, said the monument is important for preserving and allowing people to learn about American history. He likened the monument to a piece in a museum.

“I’m from Mississippi, from our people and our side of the story of the war between the states,” he explained. “So, if American citizens are interested in knowing about American history, that’s what this is (for).”

Sigmon said that, while he doesn’t agree with the protestors wanting to take the monument down, he believes they’re exercising the First Amendment right to assemble.

“As long as they keep it peaceful, it’s fine,” he said. “We’re just here to protect our property.”

Founder of Patriot Prayer Joey Gibson echoed Sigmon’s thoughts about private property.

“This is private property and I think we need to respect private property whether you agree with the message or not,” he said.

While some protestors believe the monument should be removed entirely or blocked off from view along the Interstate-5 corridor, Nancy Schultz said her biggest issue with the park is the Confederate flag that flies there and not so much the statues or plaques.

“This flag has to come down. I don’t care about the statue or the plaque, the people can look at that,” she said. “But this flag, when people come into town and they see that flag, they think it’s Vancouver and that flag is not Vancouver and that’s why we are here. That is a flag of hate and we don’t want it here.”

Schultz said she has been an activist since 1968 and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. She is going to as many marches and rallies as she can because she is “sick and tired” of the racial inequalities in America, she said.

“I’m tired of people of color being executed,” she said. “I’m sick and tired of it and something has to change.”

Both groups plan to hold events elsewhere in the county with marches and rallies in Vancouver happening over the weekend.