Christopher Columbus Statues in Chicago Parks ‘Temporarily Removed’ by City
Written by SOURCE on July 24, 2020
Christopher Columbus statues have been removed from Grant Park and Arrigo Park in Chicago.
In a statement to CBS Chicago early Friday, a rep from Mayor Lori Lightfoot‘s office said the statues were “temporarily removed” following “consultation with various stakeholders,” adding that they will remain down until further notice.
“It comes in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner,” the rep said. “This step is about an effort to protect public safety and to preserve a safe space for an inclusive and democratic public dialogue about our city’s symbols.”
The rep added that Lightfoot and city officials will announce a formal process of assessment for both monuments, as well as others, in the coming days.
Earlier this month, protesters had a massive presence at the Columbus statue in Grant Park, where they attempted to remove the statue on their own in response to ongoing police brutality nationwide.
On Thursday night, footage from social media showed celebrations among the crowds in response to word of the statue removal.
Lightfoot has also been criticized in response to her confirmation earlier this week that she had spoken with Trump regarding the use of federal law enforcement tactics in the city.
“The conversation was brief and straightforward,” a rep said earlier this week. “Mayor Lightfoot maintains that all resources will be investigatory in nature and be coordinated through the U.S. Attorney’s office.”
The ominous presence of such federal resources, of course, has been a point of great concern in cities like Portland.
