Wilmington DSA issues statement after bus stop bench controversyBus Stop Bench Controversy (Photo Courtesy: Bryan Alonso/WWAY)WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Wilmington chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is speaking out after several of its community-built bus stop benches were removed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and one was allegedly stolen and defaced. In a statement released Thursday, the organization said the benches were built as part of a mutual aid effort using donated and repurposed materials to provide seating for transit riders across Wilmington. According to the DSA, the benches had been in place for as long as 15 months before they were removed. The bench controversy began after one of the benches was removed by a local group, repainted with anti-socialist slogans and displayed online. In response, county officials requested NCDOT review whether the benches were permitted within state-maintained rights-of-way, leading to the removal of several benches.