5 years after church massacre, S Carolina protects monuments

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Wednesday marks five years since nine black worshipers were killed in a racist attack at a South Carolina church.

The massacre at Mother Emanuel AME church led South Carolina leaders to remove the Confederate flag from the capitol lawn. But as the U.S. is roiled again by more shocking deaths of African Americans, South Carolina isn’t removing more monuments of historical figures who repressed or oppressed blacks.

Republican leaders like House Speaker Jay Lucas said in 2015 they would not consider any more changes after the Confederate flag came down and have kept their word.

And state law protects monuments without a two-thirds vote of the Legislature.