“While some people obviously see Lee and Jackson as symbols of white supremacy, others see them as brilliant military tacticians or complex leaders in a difficult time (much like Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, William Tecumseh Sherman, or even Oliver Cromwell or Dietrich Bonhoeffer), and do not think of white supremacy at all and certainly do not believe in, accept, or agree with such,” Moore wrote. “In either event, the statues to them under the undisputed facts of this case still are monuments and memorials to them, as veterans of the Civil War.”

The matter is so clear, Moore wrote, that he also wrote that if a jury were to find the statues not to be monuments or memorials to Civil War veterans, he would find the verdict “unreasonable” and contrary to the law.

Though Moore ruled that the statues are monuments, he said his ruling does not settle the case, and that several other motions must still be decided.

Those include the plaintiffs’ motion to exclude an Equal Protection defense; whether individual city councilors have statutory immunity; and for which issues the defendants are entitled to a jury trial.