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| in over her head or like a fish out of water |
Please know that these statues will someday be raised again, to their place of rightful honor.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) told the Chicago Sun-Times late Thursday that the mayor made “a unilateral decision” to take that statue down along with another in Arrigo Park on the Near West Side.
By Tom Schuba Updated Jul 24, 2020, 4:39am CDT
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The statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park was removed about 3 a.m. July 24, 2020. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
The Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park was removed hours after Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for its removal.
Two cranes pulled their way up to the statue just before 2 a.m. Friday, after hours of vocal confrontations between protestors and supporters of the statue, including John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7.
The decision to take down two monuments to Columbus came after violent clashes between police and protesters broke out last week when activists attempted to tear down a statue of the Italian explorer in Grant Park.
“This statue coming down is because of the effort of Black and Indigenous activists who know the true history of Columbus and what he represents,” said Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano, a resident watching the removal.
The monument was removed about 3 a.m. Crews were also preparing to remove another statue in Arrigo Park on the Near West Side.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) told the Chicago Sun-Times late Thursday that Lightfoot made “a unilateral decision” to take down the statues. Hopkins said the intention was to have them removed Thursday night.
“At this hour, there is discussion about postponing the removal, but the mayor has not indicated any reversal of her decision,” he said.
The mayor’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests seeking comment.
The Chicago Tribune first reported that Lightfoot planned to have the Grant Park statue removed as early as Thursday night.
When the news broke, over a thousand protesters who were rallying near Lightfoot’s Logan Square home rejoiced. Soon after, an organizer led the crowd in a celebratory chant.
“Thank you for the statue, now defund CPD,” the crowd bellowed.
The statue in Grant Park, which, like the other monument, has been cloaked in plastic, remained intact late Thursday.
John Catanzara, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, showed up at the park after hearing the statue was set to be removed.
Catanzara has recently feuded with Lightfoot after he penned a letter to President Donald Trump pleading for federal help to address the city’s surging gun violence.
“I’m sick of the mayor thinking she can do whatever she wants to do,” said Catanzara, who is of Italian descent. “She’s not a dictator.
“She’s a coward that she wanted to do this in the middle of the night when nobody was paying attention after she said she wasn’t going to take the statue down.”
The mayor’s decision follows a standoff last Friday in Grant Park, which devolved into chaos when protesters attempted to take down that statue. Like other monuments to colonialism, the Columbus statue has come under increased scrutiny amid the nationwide reckoning over racial injustice.
While officers guarded the statue, some protesters were seen lobbing firecrackers and other projectiles in their direction and guarding themselves with umbrellas. Amid the chaos, officers swung batons and used pepper spray to quell the crowd.
Police later reported that 12 people were arrested and 18 others were hurt during the incident. On Monday, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said 49 officers were injured, with 18 requiring hospitalization.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates allegations of police misconduct, reported Sunday that the agency had received over 20 complaints related to the protest.
Though Lightfoot has called reports of excessive force “unacceptable” and vowed they would be investigated, she also cast blame on a small group of “vigilantes” who she said “came for a fight.” On Monday, she faulted that contingent for “hijacking” the demonstration and throwing frozen water bottles and other objects at officers.
“That’s not peaceful protest,” she said. “That’s anarchy.”
Contributing: Sam Kelly, Carly Behm, Sam Charles, Fran Spielman
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) told the Chicago Sun-Times late Thursday that the mayor made “a unilateral decision” to take that statue down along with another in Arrigo Park on the Near West Side.
By Tom Schuba Updated Jul 24, 2020, 4:39am CDT
The statue of Christopher Columbus in Grant Park was removed about 3 a.m. July 24, 2020. Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-TimesThe Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park was removed hours after Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for its removal.
Two cranes pulled their way up to the statue just before 2 a.m. Friday, after hours of vocal confrontations between protestors and supporters of the statue, including John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7.
The decision to take down two monuments to Columbus came after violent clashes between police and protesters broke out last week when activists attempted to tear down a statue of the Italian explorer in Grant Park.
“This statue coming down is because of the effort of Black and Indigenous activists who know the true history of Columbus and what he represents,” said Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano, a resident watching the removal.
The monument was removed about 3 a.m. Crews were also preparing to remove another statue in Arrigo Park on the Near West Side.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) told the Chicago Sun-Times late Thursday that Lightfoot made “a unilateral decision” to take down the statues. Hopkins said the intention was to have them removed Thursday night.
“At this hour, there is discussion about postponing the removal, but the mayor has not indicated any reversal of her decision,” he said.
The mayor’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests seeking comment.
The Chicago Tribune first reported that Lightfoot planned to have the Grant Park statue removed as early as Thursday night.
When the news broke, over a thousand protesters who were rallying near Lightfoot’s Logan Square home rejoiced. Soon after, an organizer led the crowd in a celebratory chant.
“Thank you for the statue, now defund CPD,” the crowd bellowed.
The statue in Grant Park, which, like the other monument, has been cloaked in plastic, remained intact late Thursday.
John Catanzara, the president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, showed up at the park after hearing the statue was set to be removed.
Catanzara has recently feuded with Lightfoot after he penned a letter to President Donald Trump pleading for federal help to address the city’s surging gun violence.
“I’m sick of the mayor thinking she can do whatever she wants to do,” said Catanzara, who is of Italian descent. “She’s not a dictator.
“She’s a coward that she wanted to do this in the middle of the night when nobody was paying attention after she said she wasn’t going to take the statue down.”
The mayor’s decision follows a standoff last Friday in Grant Park, which devolved into chaos when protesters attempted to take down that statue. Like other monuments to colonialism, the Columbus statue has come under increased scrutiny amid the nationwide reckoning over racial injustice.
While officers guarded the statue, some protesters were seen lobbing firecrackers and other projectiles in their direction and guarding themselves with umbrellas. Amid the chaos, officers swung batons and used pepper spray to quell the crowd.
Police later reported that 12 people were arrested and 18 others were hurt during the incident. On Monday, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said 49 officers were injured, with 18 requiring hospitalization.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates allegations of police misconduct, reported Sunday that the agency had received over 20 complaints related to the protest.
Though Lightfoot has called reports of excessive force “unacceptable” and vowed they would be investigated, she also cast blame on a small group of “vigilantes” who she said “came for a fight.” On Monday, she faulted that contingent for “hijacking” the demonstration and throwing frozen water bottles and other objects at officers.
“That’s not peaceful protest,” she said. “That’s anarchy.”
Contributing: Sam Kelly, Carly Behm, Sam Charles, Fran Spielman
I am at a loss for words at this cowardly act, vote in november and FU mayor.
ReplyDeleteFirst things first. The pgmy mayor has a yellow belly. She is a coward. And yeah, you're right, this is right up there with Daley demolishing Meigs Field. This is a mayor, who has no trouble trashing the President while at the same time trying to cover city debt with federal taxpayer dollars. There's no pause when she calls Trump a racist and gives him a big F U and then plops herself on CNN to get that exposure because in her opinion she's "the face of Chicago". But then lets ignore the 2 million or so people that live here and cower to the demands of marxist domestic terrorists. Again, she is a coward. She does not represent you and I. This arrogant POS lauds herself for uninformed decisions she makes, not on behalf of the citizens, but because she shares the attitudes of those who wish to destroy our city, our culture, our industry and our way of life. And she wants another star on the city flag as a pat on the back. Our police are on year four without a contract. She gave the teachers everything they wanted and they walked out anyway. Our police were taking their lumps in Grant Park last week and she's inviting malcontents to file complaints with COPA. She has absolutely NO RIGHT to infer that we're all in this together. Because she is not. She caters to a few special interest groups that coincide with hers. As far as this ward is concerned, its given some consideration because for decades, it produces more DEMOCRATIC votes than any other in the city. I don't envy the alderman. He's between the rock and the hard place. Should he meet with her and let her know his constituents think she's out of order or over the top and risk whatever city services currently provided that can be screwed with, or risk his standing in city government with regards to appointments and committee chairmanships? O'Shea must recognize the spot he's been put in, not an enviable one for sure. But at the same time, we're supposed to have representative government here. And shit like this doesn't represent what we live and work for to keep our community together.
ReplyDeleteThis mayor is divisive. And its to the detriment of every community in the city. The moves she's made regarding this statue solves nothing. Yielding to domestic terrorist flies in the face of everything hard working Chicagoans stand for. Does she think these acts stop here? We're Chicagoans. We mind our business. We don't go into other communities with our set of values and shove them down someone else's throat. This was a bad move. Not the first and unfortunately not the last. Our mistake was voting for her in the first place.
Our mistake was voting for her in the first place.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThere was nothing obscene or threatening about the post you removed. All I did was call out our local elected officials on their apathy. I now see what this blog is all about. It only cares about and promotes the left wing liberal agenda. Everyone else must be silenced. Have fun watching this city burn. Not interested
DeleteThats funny
DeleteGroot is betting that Byedone will be elected and will make her a federal judge. Federal judges have lifetime tenure and are accountable to no one.
ReplyDeleteNaps, sposato, John catz of fop, even alderman Lopez has been speaking out against this midget tyrant. Where is your cherished o’Shea? Buying the protestors dinner?
ReplyDeleteHe has to protect the airport job. Dimwitted as he is.
ReplyDeleteCristoffa Corombo (Christopher Columbus) ruled, enslaved and murdered Africans and Indigenous People. ಠ︵ಠ
ReplyDeleteThe British ruled, enslaved and murdered Irish people. ಠ︵ಠ
There's no difference between both, except skin color. ಠ︵ಠ
Mother Cabrini is a better person to honor. w(°ｏ°)w
Didn’t dat guy imvent da beef samich ?????
Delete