Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh announced earlier this week she would move forward with the removal of the city's four Confederate monuments.
Beginning Tuesday night, the monuments were removed without warning. Crews worked from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
"What I know is I did what was right fro my city," Pugh said. "That was my intent and I got it done."
RELATED: Mayor Pugh plans to remove confederate monuments in Baltimore
She said her mind was made up in June. The statues were going to come down, but there were some roadblocks, including a legal requirement that stated nothing could be done to the monuments without written permission from the Maryland Historical Trust.
See also: Confederate monuments removed overnight in Baltimore
Pugh proceeded anyway, citing the violence in Charlottesville influencing her swift action.
"We sent them the request, but also the charter says if the mayor feels she needs to protect her city, she has a right to do so," she said.
In response to the statues' removal, the Maryland Historical Trust released the following statement,
Although the formal process of removing the monuments was not followed, due to the rapidly evolving circumstances, MHT will work with the city on the relocation, restoration, or preservation, etc. decided in accordance with the current easements.
Residents were mixed in their opinions of the monuments' removal, but Pugh says she has advice for other mayors in a similar situation.
"Do it quietly and quickly," she said.
