Whitewashing history? Tug-of-war over Confederate monuments rages on.

The fate of Confederate monuments standing on public property has been a topic of debate — civil and uncivil — during council meetings, in the courts and on streets for almost a year. The businesses currently considering the job are understandably wary: In January, the company originally retained to do the work withdrew after the owner, his family and his employees received death threats. Less than a week later, the owner’s 2014 Lamborghini Huracan, valued at $200,000, was found aflame in a company parking lot. It’s still unclear if the events are related. No arrests have been made.

Then in February, the city removed a list of contractors interested in the project from its website after some reported receiving phone calls or emails that promised the company that did take the job would suffer financially afterward.

While those who want to preserve the monuments continue to press their legal options and a recently introduced bill in the state legislature seeks to block the removal, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is confident the prominent statues of Confederate Gens. Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard and Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis will soon be removed from public view.