Alderman pushing to reinstall controversial statues, monuments removed after 2020 protests

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago alderman is pushing to reinstall statues and monuments that were taken down during Lori Lightfoot's tenure as mayor.

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"It wasn't just the monument was gone, it was a freedom of speech, it was the respect to our community was gone," Ron Onesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans said.

Onesti said it was disappointing when statues of Christopher Columbus and others were removed.

The monuments were taken down in 2020, after protests over the murder of George Floyd and police shooting of Breonna Taylor.

The statues have been in storage ever since.

"None of this was ever about actually what Columbus meant or the messaging about Columbus, it was how it was done," Onesti said. "The fact that the community was not engaged or involved with the decision-making."

"It was selective censorship, and that's what we're doing," 41st Ward Alderman Anthony Napolitano said. "We are selecting who we're going to censor and who we are not going to censor and that is the epitome of unjust government right there."

Napolitano introduced the plan Wednesday to city council directing the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to reinstall all public artworks removed by the Chicago Monuments Project.

He said the city has defended other controversial artwork and feels the monuments should receive the same treatment.

"Artwork is supposed to evoke emotions, not all people are going to like the artwork, government should never censor artwork. And they kept repeating over and over that we should be giving the artist the opportunity to speak. All these Columbus statues that were removed. Those were created by artists," Napolitano said.

ABC7 reached out to the Chicago Monuments Project Wednesday and Thursday and have not heard back.

If approved by city council, the order mandates the pieces be returned to their original locations within 60 days.

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