Unpopuliar opinion:
I dont think statues or plaques should be destroyed. Those things are part of the history and when destroyed it is forever lost. Just make sure there are enough disclaimers that tells why the thing was erected at first place and how the thigs have changed. Those dont need to celebrate horrible things that happened. They can be warnings and reminders of how things have changed.
Tossing racist people in to the river is fine tough. I dont care.
I understand that too, but i dont think we should hide the mistakes that were done from the public and risk forgetting them. Make those statues to altars of how things have changed and to promise to not let those things repeat.
But i also dont think those statues should be protected from change. If there is plan to renovate some park and make it better, some old statue of slave owner should not prevent that. Move the thing somewhere else.
I just think those are part of the history and destroying or willingly hiding it from public does more harm in the long run.