Statue Of Former Philly Mayor Frank Rizzo Taken Down Overnight

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney ordered the statue of the controversial former mayor and Police Commissioner Frank L. Rizzo be taken down immediately. Crews began taking down the statue overnight and finished their work Wednesday morning.

The removal follows days of unrest in the city, which stemmed from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

City officials Wednesday announced the statue was taken down after Kenney signed an order directing Managing Director Brian Abernathy to immediately remove the statue from Thomas Paine Plaza at the Municipal Services Building.

"When we first announced our decision to move the statue, we chose to do so in a way that was cost-effective, by linking it to the pending renovation of Thomas Paine Plaza," Kenney said. "That choice was a mistake — we prioritized efficiency over full recognition of what this statue represented to black Philadelphians and members of other marginalized communities. The continued display of the statue has understandably enraged and hurt many Philadelphians, including those protesting the heinous murders of George Floyd and too many others. I have seen and heard their anguish. This statue now no longer stands in front of a building that serves all Philadelphians."

Rizzo is a controversial figure in Philadelphia, with critics saying he discriminated against minorities during his tenure and supporters saying his tough-on-crime mentality improved the city.

Kenney said the statue represented "bigotry, hatred and oppression for too many people, for too long."

It has been the target of many protests, and most recently it was spray-painted, burned and the target of an attempt to pull it down during protests around Floyd's death, of which Minneapolis Police Office Derek Chauvin is accused and charged with second-degree murder

The statue was installed in 1999, and Kenney said the statue was "foisted on the city 20 years ago."

According to officials, it will be put in secure storage by the Department of Public Property until a plan is developed to donate, relocate or dispose of it. There is no word on when any of those actions will happen.

If and when a plan to donate, relocate or dispose of the statue is developed, the plan will be presented to the Philadelphia Art Commission for approval.

"The statue is a deplorable monument to racism, bigotry, and police brutality for members of the Black community, the LGBTQ community, and many others." Kenney said in a statement. "The treatment of these communities under Mr. Rizzo’s leadership was among the worst periods in Philadelphia’s history. The battle for equal rights and justice is still being fought decades later, and our city is still working to erase that legacy. We now need to work for true equity for all Philadelphia residents, and toward healing our communities. The removal of this statue today is but a small step in that process."