Virginia governor to announce removal of Robert E. Lee statue from Richmond as city reckons with Confederate monuments

Protesters have demanded justice for Floyd and have sought to draw attention to decades of police abuse toward black Americans as a result of what they say is institutionalized racism in law enforcement agencies.

CNN reported on Monday that protesters in Richmond had attempted to pull down the statues on Monument Avenue, which police warned was putting them "in grave jeopardy."

"They are extremely heavy and would crush anyone standing too close.

Please be aware of the danger.

Stand down!" the Richmond Police Department said in a tweet on Monday.

Statues memorializing Confederate generals and soldiers have been at the center of an intense national debate in recent years, with opponents of them saying they wrongly honor long-deceased supporters of slavery.