Chicago Mayor Orders Late-Night Removal of Two Christopher Columbus Statues

Clashes between protesters and police in the Illinois city have intensified in recent days. Just a week earlier, demonstrators had vandalized and tried to topple the monument before those efforts were thwarted by law enforcement who used tear gas and batons to disperse protesters who police said threatened them with fireworks, rocks and other objects.

In a statement issued after the statues were brought down that was obtained by the Associated Press, Lightfoot’s office said they were being “temporarily removed … until further notice.” The statement also said the statues had come down “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.”

According to a local TV station, WGN9, on that occasion 12 people were arrested for mob action, and 20 complaints against police officers were filed with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

The station also noted that the Fraternal Order of Police: Chicago Lodge No. 7 had posted a seething statement of its own on Facebook in response to the mayor’s decision.

The mayor’s office statement also announced plans by Lightfoot and city officials “to assess each of the monuments, memorials, and murals across Chicago’s communities, and develop a framework for creating a public dialogue to determine how we elevate our city’s history and diversity.”