By Randy Singleton
NJG Community Correspondent
PORTSMOUTH
A drive-up rally was held in the parking lot of Grove Church on Tuesday evening (Sept. 1) for Sen. Louise Lucas and the Portsmouth 19. The State Senator and 18 other citizens are all charged with felonies associated with the vandalism of the downtown Confederate monument and are scheduled to appear in court this week (Sept 4).
The rally featured the political star-power of former and current elected officials, such as Congressman Bobby Scott, Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, State Senators Lionel Spruill and Mamie Locke, Delegates Don Scott and Cliff Hayes. Speakers condemned the mistreatment of Sen. Lucas and others at the hands of a politically-weaponized local law enforcement entity, which is opposed to pending police reform legislation being introduced by Sen. Lucas this week at the General Assembly, and called for the charges to be dropped. Sen. Lucas’ daughter Portsmouth City Councilwoman Lisa Lucas-Burke was charged with 2 misdemeanor counts of allegedly violating the city charter when she called for Portsmouth Police Department Chief Angela Greene’s firing. She is scheduled to go to court on September 2.
