The public comment session during Monday’s Liberty city council meeting ended with shouting between the mayor and a frequent public speaker at city meetings. The tension centered around a yearslong legal dispute over a Confederate statue, or grave marker as ancestors call it, in Fairview Cemetery.Clay Countians for Inclusion started pressing for the statue’s removal in 2021. But, the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization has pushed back, saying it not a statue or a monument, but a grave marker for soldiers from the Confederate War that should not be disturbed. There is also much debate over who owns the plot in the cemetery. The City of Liberty filed a lawsuit to take ownership of the plot and the disagreement is playing out in court.The disagreement also spilled over into Monday night’s Liberty city council meeting, when Dwayne Holtzclaw, an Excelsior Springs resident who says his ancestors are buried near the marker, got into a disagreement with Mayor Greg Canuteson. You can watch the full argument, here, beginning at the 5:45 time code. Holtzclaw spoke at his 71st city council meeting over the past three years asking the city to stop its lawsuit to take ownership of plot 174 in the cemetery. “There’s nothing lower than attacking the grave of a military combat veteran, simply a coward does this,” he said.Canuteson interrupted. “I don’t think anybody’s attacking an American grave of an American veteran,” Canuteson said.Holtzclaw later walked away from the podium calling Canuteson a coward.“You don’t have the guts to say that to me outside of this building, I promise you that” Canuteson said. “Oh absolutely, you meet me out here ,” Holtzclaw said.“We’ll see that. We’ll see that. I’ll meet you out there,” Canuteson said. “You’re a Confederate coward.”The men started shouting at each other, and Holtzclaw walked out after Canuteson told him to “get out of here.”Canuteson then explained his actions to the meeting room.REACTION TO MONDAY’S CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS“The first amendment works both ways,” Canuteson told KMBC on Tuesday when asked about his comments.Canuteson called Holtzclaw a racist who has threatened city council members. Canuteson also said Holtzclaw celebrates and admires Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest, the founding member of the Ku Klux Klan whose name is on the monument.“For the last three years, no one on the council or the previous mayor wanted to confront Mr. Holtzclaw,” Canuteson told KMBC. “I think that by not confronting Mr. Holtzclaw it might lead people to believe in the public when they watch us on TV, that somehow the people of Liberty agree with them. No one in Liberty agrees with Mr. Holtzclaw.”Canuteson said he has received gratitude and support for his comments Monday calling out Holtzclaw’s comments.“I thought it was really uncalled for,” said Holtzclaw about Canuteson’s actions. Holtzclaw has also been joined by other supporters of keeping the grave marker in the cemetery at multiple meetings over the years, including Monday night.Holtzclaw says he has never threatened council members, has never celebrated Forrest, and is not a racist.“I’ve never bothered anybody in my life. And so, for him to say that, it’s certainly not true,” he said. Holtzclaw also said he’ll keep showing up to city council meetings to speak about making sure his ancestors graves are protected.To that, Canuteson said Holtzclaw is free to speak.”He has a right under the United States Constitution. Because the federal Union troops won the war. He supported the group that tried to destroy that.”You can watch the comments, here, and see KMBC’s previous reporting on this issue, here.
The public comment session during Monday’s Liberty city council meeting ended with shouting between the mayor and a frequent public speaker at city meetings.
The tension centered around a yearslong legal dispute over a Confederate statue, or grave marker as ancestors call it, in Fairview Cemetery.
Clay Countians for Inclusion started pressing for the statue’s removal in 2021. But, the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization has pushed back, saying it not a statue or a monument, but a grave marker for soldiers from the Confederate War that should not be disturbed.
There is also much debate over who owns the plot in the cemetery.
The City of Liberty filed a lawsuit to take ownership of the plot and the disagreement is playing out in court.
The disagreement also spilled over into Monday night’s Liberty city council meeting, when Dwayne Holtzclaw, an Excelsior Springs resident who says his ancestors are buried near the marker, got into a disagreement with Mayor Greg Canuteson.
You can watch the full argument, here, beginning at the 5:45 time code.
Holtzclaw spoke at his 71st city council meeting over the past three years asking the city to stop its lawsuit to take ownership of plot 174 in the cemetery.
“There’s nothing lower than attacking the grave of a military combat veteran, simply a coward does this,” he said.
Canuteson interrupted. “I don’t think anybody’s attacking an American grave of an American veteran,” Canuteson said.
Holtzclaw later walked away from the podium calling Canuteson a coward.
“You don’t have the guts to say that to me outside of this building, I promise you that” Canuteson said.
“Oh absolutely, you meet me out here [sic],” Holtzclaw said.
“We’ll see that. We’ll see that. I’ll meet you out there,” Canuteson said. “You’re a Confederate coward.”
The men started shouting at each other, and Holtzclaw walked out after Canuteson told him to “get out of here.”
Canuteson then explained his actions to the meeting room.
REACTION TO MONDAY’S CITY COUNCIL COMMENTS
“The first amendment works both ways,” Canuteson told KMBC on Tuesday when asked about his comments.
Canuteson called Holtzclaw a racist who has threatened city council members. Canuteson also said Holtzclaw celebrates and admires Confederate general Nathan Bedford Forrest, the founding member of the Ku Klux Klan whose name is on the monument.
“For the last three years, no one on the council or the previous mayor wanted to confront Mr. Holtzclaw,” Canuteson told KMBC. “I think that by not confronting Mr. Holtzclaw it might lead people to believe in the public when they watch us on TV, that somehow the people of Liberty agree with them. No one in Liberty agrees with Mr. Holtzclaw.”
Canuteson said he has received gratitude and support for his comments Monday calling out Holtzclaw’s comments.
“I thought it was really uncalled for,” said Holtzclaw about Canuteson’s actions. Holtzclaw has also been joined by other supporters of keeping the grave marker in the cemetery at multiple meetings over the years, including Monday night.
Holtzclaw says he has never threatened council members, has never celebrated Forrest, and is not a racist.
“I’ve never bothered anybody in my life. And so, for him to say that, it’s certainly not true,” he said.
Holtzclaw also said he’ll keep showing up to city council meetings to speak about making sure his ancestors graves are protected.
To that, Canuteson said Holtzclaw is free to speak.
“He has a right under the United States Constitution. Because the federal Union troops won the war. He supported the group that tried to destroy that.”
You can watch the comments, here, and see KMBC’s previous reporting on this issue, here.
