Jalane Schmidt, a local activist and professor at UVa, said it was a relief to see the statues come down. “It was really quick ... I’m glad they were able to move them. It’s amazing, because the wheels of government and bureaucracy often turn very slowly,” she said. Schmidt said she doesn’t want the city to rush into determining what should replace the statues. “I think what would be appropriate is to have community discussions about that and take time. These were here for a century, so we can take our time,” she said.