NBC 5- Chicago
An Abraham Lincoln was damaged and burned in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood late Wednesday, Ald. Ray Lopez said.
The statue was found burned near 69th Street and Wolcott, authorities said.
"What an absolute disgraceful act of vandalism," Lopez wrote on Facebook along with an image of the charred structure. He encouraged anyone who has information on what happened to contact police or his office "immediately."
Police did not immediately have information on what happened.
The statue, a bust of Lincoln, was erected by Phil Bloomquist on Aug. 31, 1926.
It is one of many that have been vandalized across the country in wake of the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia and the president's comments that followed.
On Tuesday, someone vandalized the Lincoln Memorial, writing "F--- law" in red spray paint on a pillar at the monument.
Now, of course, the 16th President of the United States would be, if anything, a hero to those on the ‘’alt-left’’ but don’t tell that to some conservative Twitlers who are falling right in line after the Twitler’s comments on Charlottesville about the ‘’alt-left’’ this past Tuesday.
Yes, it is time to retire the pejorative term ‘’alt-left’’...but of course, it may be too late.
(But I have lived in Chicago long enough to know damn well that the ‘’alt-left’’ would not torch a Lincoln statue in the Englewood section of Chicago...of all places….anyone want to take bets on whether the Twitler brings this up?)
Friday, Aug 18, 2017 · 12:59:15 AM +00:00
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Chitown Kev
More from the Chicago Sun-Times
Lopez said he learned the Lincoln bust was spray-painted black two weeks ago, then vandalized again two days ago. In the second incident, the bust was “covered in tar, wrapped in roofing paper and set on fire,” the alderman said, noting that Chicago Police are investigating.
Lopez also has fired off an email to Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly requesting a copy of the city’s “public art program registry.”
The Sun-Times story also contains speculation that it may not be an act of vandalism at all but a result of kids setting off fireworks
A West Englewood resident interviewed Thursday speculated that some burn damage to the Lincoln bust may have been caused by fireworks set off on July 4th.
“People were out partying on the 4th of July and lighting fireworks off of it,” said Christopher Jackson, 22, who lives two blocks from the statue and saw the revelers also light newspapers on fire on top of the statue.
“It’s f—– up, honestly,” said Jackson, who works as a cook at a downtown eatery and chatted while waiting for a bus steps from the statue.
“You’d think people would appreciate it,” he said. “Abraham Lincoln is Abraham Lincoln. He’s one of the people who helped us. He freed the slaves. That’s a big one.”