PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A federal appeals court ruled Monday, groups that sued the City of Pensacola for removing a Confederate statue lacked standing to file a lawsuit.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta's ruling reverses the previous ruling from 2020, paving the way for the statue's removal, and remands the case to state court.

The federal court found lack of standing when some plaintiffs claimed to be Pensacola taxpayers, but it was never alleged that the statue would use taxpayer dollars.

The federal court also found allegations that the removal of the statue would harm the preservation of Florida history was not concrete enough to establish standing.

The federal court's decision gives the plaintiff an opportunity to have the case be reheard in state court, which in turn gives life back to their argument.