DALLAS (AP) — A last-minute court order has blocked the removal of the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a park in Dallas even as work crews were prepared to take it down.

U.S. District Judge Sidney Fitzwater granted a temporary restraining order requested Wednesday by Hiram Patterson. His attorney, Kirk Lyons, said Patterson is a Dallas resident and taxpayer and member of the Sons of the Confederate Veterans.

The Dallas City Council had voted 13-1 earlier Wednesday to remove the statue, which is in Robert E. Lee Park just north of downtown. A city task force was to determine later what to do with it.

Police officers stationed at the park and crews brought in a crane to remove the statue as about 25 people watched.