The Confederate monument at the Madison County Courthouse was vandalized on Wednesday.
Red paint was splattered across the monument's base, and the Madison County Sheriff's Office said it's investigating the incident.
The monument has been a source of contention for months now, igniting weekly protests with activists calling for the immediate removal of it.
Members of the Tennessee Valley Progressive Alliance have said the $25,000 needed to pay the state fine for removing the statue has already been collected. On Wednesday, the organization put a large check for that amount in front of the vandalized Confederate monument.
#Breaking The Confederate Monument at the Madison County Courthouse has been vandalized. The statue has been a source of contention in recent months igniting weekly protests pic.twitter.com/tCOIRREriE
— Ashley Carter WAAY 31 (@AshleyWAAY31) August 5, 2020