Brandon Johnson reverses course; George Washington statue to stay outside office

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A statue of George Washington will remain on display at Chicago’s city hall, after a change in plans by Mayor Brandon Johnson.

On Tuesday, a spokesman for the mayor told WBBM Newsradio they were going to move the statue while making updates around city hall.

The administration, though, later changed plans.

Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato (38th) said he got a call from a senior mayoral advisor, who told him that the Washington statue — which has stood on the fifth floor for 40 years — will stay put. Earlier in the day, Sposato questioned the move.

“When does this stop: the redoing everything and eliminating everything? I just don’t get it,” said Sposato, Johnson’s hand-picked chair of the City Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs and Special Events. “He’s George Washington. He risked everything. We are who we are because of this man.”

Back in 2020 then Mayor Lori Lightfoot had statues of Christopher Columbus removed and ordered others be reviewed in the aftermath of the George Floyd protests.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.

Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok