Louisville's King Louis XVI statue to be repaired years after being damaged during 2020 protests

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Louisville's King Louis XVI statue will finally be repaired after it was damaged during the 2020 protests in response to Breonna Taylor's death.

And the statue was damaged even more when city workers tried to pressure wash it.

Louisville Metro Council previously approved funds for repairs, but it took several years to find someone qualified. The city will now pay a Cincinnati restoration business $205,000 to restore the statue.

At the height of the protests in 2020, vandals damaged the statue, breaking off a marble hand and waving it through the crowd. The monument, a 1967 gift from Louisville's French sister city, was later removed and placed in storage after suffering extensive damage.

The statue was eventually removed from public view and stored at a municipal lot. King Louis' absence left a visible gap downtown, but city officials are now moving forward with plans to bring him back.

It's still unclear where the statue will go once repairs are done.