The Christopher Columbus statue in Grant Park used to be got rid of hours after Mayor Lori Lightfoot known as for its removing.
Two cranes pulled as much as the statue simply ahead of 2 a.m. Friday, after hours of vocal confrontations between protesters and supporters of the statue, together with John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7.
The determination to take down two monuments to Columbus got here after violent clashes between police and protesters broke out closing week when activists tried to rip 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,” mentioned Stefan Cuevas-Caizaguano, a resident gazing the removing.
The monument used to be got rid of about three a.m. Crews additionally got rid of some other statue in Arrigo Park at the Near West Side.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a commentary Friday morning pronouncing the statues have been got rid of till additional understand “in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park state down in an extremely dangerous manner.”
The mayor mentioned a proper procedure will quickly be introduced to evaluate every monument, memorial and mural around the town.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (second) advised the Chicago Sun-Times overdue Thursday that Lightfoot made “a unilateral decision” to take down the statues.
The Chicago Tribune first reported that Lightfoot deliberate to have the Grant Park statue got rid of as early as Thursday night time.
When the scoop broke, over 1000 protesters who have been rallying close to Lightfoot’s Logan Square house had fun. Soon after, an organizer led the gang in a celebratory chant.
“Thank you for the statue, now defund CPD,” the gang bellowed.
Catanzara confirmed up on the park after listening to the statue used to be set to be got rid of. Catanzara has lately feuded with Lightfoot after he penned a letter to President Donald Trump pleading for federal lend a hand to deal with the town’s surging gun violence.
“I’m sick of the mayor thinking she can do whatever she wants to do,” mentioned Catanzara, who’s 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 determination follows a standoff closing Friday in Grant Park, which devolved into chaos when protesters tried to take down that statue. Like different monuments to colonialism, the Columbus statue has come underneath larger scrutiny amid the national reckoning over racial injustice.
While officials guarded the statue, some protesters have been noticed lobbing firecrackers and different projectiles of their course and guarding themselves with umbrellas. Amid the chaos, officials swung batons and used pepper spray to quell the gang.
Police later reported that 12 folks have been arrested and 18 others have been harm all through the incident. On Monday, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown mentioned 49 officials have been injured, with 18 requiring hospitalization.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates allegations of police misconduct, reported Sunday that the company had gained over 20 court cases associated with the protest.
Though Lightfoot has known as studies of over the top power “unacceptable” and vowed they might be investigated, she additionally forged blame on a small workforce of “vigilantes” who she mentioned “came for a fight.” On Monday, she faulted that contingent for “hijacking” the demonstration and throwing frozen water bottles and different items at officials.
“That’s not peaceful protest,” she mentioned. “That’s anarchy.”
Contributing: Sam Kelly, Carly Behm, Sam Charles, Fran Spielman