San Antonio – Dozens of demonstrators took to Alamo Plaza on Friday in an attempt to protest the planned relocation of the Cenotaph.
The monument, which was commissioned in 1936, 100 years after the Texas Revolution, bears the name of fallen Alamo defenders. Its relocation to a spot a few hundred feet south is part of a larger plan by officials to redesign Alamo Plaza.
But opponents to the plan say the monument is a “tombstone” that should not be moved, and they worry it could be damaged in the attempt.
Though the Cenotaph’s relocation has already been approved by City Council and the Historic and Design Review Commission, the group gathered at the monument on Friday hoped they still might stop it.
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Brandon Burkhart, the president of This Is Texas Freedom Force, which organized the demonstration, said the demonstrators planned to be out for 24 hours. He hoped Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick might take notice and intervene.
“We’re here to tell him that there are a lot of Texans that are involved in this, and we care about this. And, hopefully, he can step in and let the people vote," Burkhart said. "I mean, it’s our monument. Why not let Texans vote on it? Are they scared that - the results that will happen?”
Burkhart also said demonstrators initially believed that the relocation process might begin overnight Friday and that they will “defend our Alamo defenders.”
“And if they bring cranes out here. We’re not scared of going to jail. We’ll step in the way of it,” he said.
Burkhart said they have since heard the date has changed. KSAT was not able to confirm when the relocation is actually planned to begin.