Workers have pulled down a statue in tribute to a US Supreme Court justice who defended slavery – days after plans to remove a similar symbol of racism in Charlottesville sparked mass riots.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan ordered the dismantling of the memorial to Roger B Taney outside the Maryland State House – which came after decades of pressure from civil rights groups.

Mr Taney ruled in a landmark case in 1857 that black people should not be given US citizenship – a move which historians say indirectly triggered the civil war in the country.

Governor Hogan said it was “the right thing to do” to remove the tribute to the controversial figure after fascists clashed with counter-protestors in ugly scenes in Charlottesville.

It came after ultra-right wing groups marched in their thousands in protest at plans by city officials to remove a statue in honour of Confederate Army General Robert E Lee.

Police in Maryland blocked off the streets around the State House overnight to allow workers move in and dismantle the tribute to justice Taney after midnight.

Some two dozen people looked on as a crane wrenched the statue from its base and hoisted the memorial on to a flatbed truck.

Some witnesses commented that Taney’s likeness, gazing slightly down, appeared to be bowing its head in shame as workers pulled straps around his frame.

“It’s just a bad statue overall,” said Robb Tufts, 43, of Annapolis told the Washington Post. “He’s all hunched over like Ebenezer Scrooge . . . we deserve to celebrate the heroes of Maryland, not the villains of history.”

Mr Hogan’s spokesman, Doug Mayer, said the monument would be placed in an undisclosed state storage facility. The perch remained on the lawn, covered by a wooden box.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Mr Hogan a day earlier called for the statue to be removed. “While we cannot hide from our history — nor should we — the time has come to make clear the difference between properly acknowledging our past and glorifying the darkest chapters of our history,” Mr Hogan said in a statement.

“With that in mind, I believe removing the Justice Roger B Taney Statue from the State House grounds is the right thing to do, and we will ask the State House trust to take that action immediately.”

It came as dozens of cities across the U.S., including in Baltimore and Washington, have called for monuments in honour of pro-slavery figures to be removed.

Donald Trump sparked controversy when he called the memorials “beautiful”.

“Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments,” he wrote in a series of tweets on Thursday.