Petition Seeks to Rename Chicago Park After Fallen Cincinnati Gorilla

CHICAGO, IL - Hundreds of people have signed a petition urging officials to change the name of a Chicago park to honor Harambe, the gorilla killed at the Cincinnati Zoo earlier this summer when a toddler fell into an enclosure.

The petition “Change the Name of Humboldt Park to Harambe Park” had 600 signatures as of 7:55 p.m. on Tuesday. Created by Peter Bono, it asks 26th Ward Ald. Roberto Maldonado to legally change the name of Humboldt Park on the city’s West Side to Harambe Park in honor of the fallen gorilla.

“The unjust death of Harambe is despicable and is a monumental death which needs to be recognized,” the petition reads. “The perfect memorial lies right here in Chicago with Humbolt Park. With enough signatures, we will be able to plea with Alderman Roberto Maldonado of the 26th Ward to legally change the name of Humbolt Park to Harambe Park.”

“Together we are strong in the fight for justice for poor Harambe and his gorilla family he had to leave behind."

Humboldt Park the park (for which the petition calls for a change, not the neighborhood with the same name) was named in the 19th century in honor of Baron Freidrich Heinrich Alexander Von Humboldt, a German scientist and explorer.

Humboldt had a distinguished life as an explorer, completing an impressive voyage to South America and was lated a respected scientist in Paris. But was he more impressive than Harambe, the 17-year-old gorilla shot to death at the zoo when a 3-year-old’s life was on the line?

Those who support the petition don’t think so.

“Harambe was the only thing keeping this country together,” wrote one slick signee.

Another commenter took it even further, claiming the gorilla “inspired so many with his wise words and silver back.”

“He was a great friend and an amazing ally in the Great War of 1944. I remember storming Normandy beach with him at my side as he dragged me through the water to cover.”

So the petition might be more of a tongue-and-cheek jab at the nation’s fascination with the late gorilla or a tongue-and-cheek jab at petitions. But with hundreds playing along, Maldonado might want to at least give it a glance.