Thomas Jefferson Statue Removed From City Hall

NEW YORK CITY — Thomas Jefferson's banishment from New York City Hall is complete.

Crews on Monday moved a statue of Jefferson from the Council Chambers where it stood for 184 years.

The statue is headed to its new home at the New-York Historical Society after a public art board listened to objections about its position in the heart of city government. Opponents argued that Jefferson, as a slaveholder, failed to heed his own words that "all men are created equal."

"This was a slaveholder who owned over 600 human beings," said Council Member Adrienne Adams.

But the statue's removal was decried by largely conservative or far-right people on Twitter.

GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw responded with dig at New York City itself, courtesy of a quote from Jefferson himself.

“New York seems to be a cloacina [toilet] of all the depravities of human nature.”

- Thomas Jefferson https://t.co/D01v3o6d6e
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) November 23, 2021

Kyle Becker, a conservative journalist, wrote the statue's removal was not a condemnation of slavery, but of liberty.

"Despite being a flawed man, Thomas Jefferson did more to emancipate mankind – including slaves – than anyone else of his era," he tweeted.

This is a topic near & dear to my heart. Despite being a flawed man, Thomas Jefferson did more to emancipate mankind – including slaves – than anyone else of his era. The radical left's defamation of Jefferson is not a condemnation of slavery, but liberty.https://t.co/Sdgk8xdi3A
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) November 23, 2021

But not all of Twitter was opposed to the removal, or saw it as a sign of historical revisionism.

"Anyone who questions why this is happening and truly believes Thomas Jefferson is a good man should read his thoughts on slavery in 'Notes on The State of Virginia' it’s not even questionable, just disgusting," one person tweeted.

Anyone who questions why this is happening and truly believes Thomas Jefferson is a good man should read his thoughts on slavery in “Notes on The State of Virginia” it’s not even questionable, just disgusting https://t.co/rN57GVOHQe
— Divad (@divad_doodles) November 23, 2021