Statue formerly installed in Philadelphia
A statue ofFrank Rizzo , sometimes called theFrank L. Rizzo Monument , was installed inPhiladelphia , in theU.S. state ofPennsylvania . Erected in 1998,[ 2] [ 3] bronze sculpture was removed in June 2020.[ 1] [ 4] Black Lives Matter activists and others protested the statue's presence, and the statue was taken down during theGeorge Floyd protests .[ 5] [ 6]
As mayor, Rizzo was a strong opponent ofdesegregation of Philadelphia's schools, and prevented the construction ofpublic housing in majority-white neighborhoods.[ 7] [ 8] [ 9] police brutality , intimidation, coercion, and disregard forconstitutional rights .[ 10] [ 11] Pulitzer-Prize winningPhiladelphia Inquirer William K. Marimow andJon Neuman .[ 12]
The statue was placed on its pedestal on December 30, 1998 and unveiled on January 1, 1999. A crowd of 150 listened to speeches by MayorEd Rendell . ThePhiladelphia Inquirer reported that sculptorZenos Frudakis had "decided that his monument should be a statue walking toward the people, hand upheld in a greeting."[ 13]
Controversy and removal [ edit ] In 2013, following the not-guilty verdict in thekilling of Trayvon Martin , a sign was hung around the statue's neck with the message, "This system is still racist." ThePhiladelphia Inquirer noted that Rizzo "had a poor relationship with Philadelphia's African-American community."[ 14]
Calls for the statue's removal began in 2016, when a group called the Philly Coalition for REAL Justice started an online petition.[ 15] Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the statue was vandalized, kicking off further calls for its removal. Frudakis told theTribune that he "hesitated to do the work at first" due to Rizzo's past and would accept the statue's removal if the city decided on it.[ 16]
In November 2017, the city voted to remove the statue, but mayorJim Kenney refused due to the $200,000 expense involved.[ 17] [ 18] [dead link ] George Floyd protests , the mayor's office ordered its removal. The statue was placed into storage in July of that year.[ 1]
^a b c Chappell, Bill (June 3, 2020)."Frank Rizzo Statue Is Removed In Philadelphia: 'It Is Finally Gone,' Mayor Says" .NPR .Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Griffith, Janelle (June 3, 2020)."Statue of divisive ex-Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo targeted in protests is taken down" .NBC News .Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Davis, Corey (June 3, 2020)."Frank Rizzo statue removed from steps of the Municipal Services Building overnight" .6abc Philadelphia .Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Pineda, Khrysgiana (June 3, 2020)."Controversial statue of former Philadelphia mayor Frank Rizzo removed after George Floyd protests" .USA Today Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Hickey, Brian (August 10, 2018)."Rizzo foe: Let's gather next month with 'ropes and chains to tear the statue down' .www.phillyvoice.com .Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Hawkins, Derek (August 18, 2017)."Former Philly mayor Frank Rizzo was no Confederate. But it's open season on his statue" .The Washington Post Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedJune 3, 2020 . ^ Blumgart, Jake (August 21, 2018)."A historian on the Rizzo debate: 'It comes down to what statues do' .WHYY .Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. RetrievedMay 30, 2020 . ^ Jaynes, Gregory (November 9, 1978)."Philadelphia's Message to Rizzo: 'Enough' .The New York Times .ISSN 0362-4331 .Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. RetrievedMay 30, 2020 . ^ Blumgart, Jake (September 18, 2018)."How Philly's Frank Rizzo Rode 'Blue-Collar Conservatism' to Victory" .Bloomberg.com .Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. RetrievedMay 30, 2020 . ^ Williams, Suzanne Ife (1988).Police brutality : case study of Philadelphia/Move OCLC 84480572 .Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. RetrievedJune 4, 2020 . ^ Blumgart, Jake (October 22, 2015)."The Brutal Legacy of Frank Rizzo, the Most Notorious Cop in Philadelphia History" .Vice .Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. RetrievedMay 30, 2020 . ^ "Sketches of Pulitzer Prize Winners in Journalism, the Arts and Letters" .The New York Times . April 18, 1978.ISSN 0362-4331 .Archived from the original on June 4, 2020. RetrievedMay 30, 2020 .^ Burton, Cynthia (January 2, 1999)."Statue of Frank Rizzo is Unveiled as Crowd Cheers, Mummers Play" .Philadelphia Inquirer Archived from the original on October 17, 2023 – via newspapers.com. ^ Abdur-Rahman, Sulaiman (July 14, 2013)."Debate rages over verdict in Martin case" .Philadelphia Inquirer .Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. RetrievedMarch 14, 2021 . ^ Persinger, Ryanne (August 12, 2016)."Bring Rizzo down? Some say it's time" .Philadelphia Tribune .Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. RetrievedMarch 14, 2021 . ^ "Frank Rizzo statue creator says take it down if a problem" .Philadelphia Tribune . August 18, 2017.Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. RetrievedJune 15, 2020 .^ Mitchell, John (November 5, 2017)."City decides to remove Rizzo statue" .Philadelphia Tribune .Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. RetrievedJune 15, 2020 . ^ "Rizzo's statue to stay put for now" .Courier-Post Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. RetrievedJune 15, 2020 .
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Key : ✻ Pending removal
Media related toStatue of Frank Rizzo at Wikimedia Commons
