Statues on Chicago's near west side, south side and in the downtown area were vandalized recently. Vandals spray painted messages using red spray paint on a statue of George Washington in Washington Park at 51st and King Drive on the south side. The 100-plus-year-old statue had the phrase "slave owner," "burn down the White House," and the word "Amerikkka" sprawled across it. There was also a white hood placed on the statue and more hanging from nearby trees.
A statue of Christopher Columbus located at Roosevelt Road and Columbus Drive in Grant Park near the Museum Campus had the initials 'BLM' (Black Lives Matter) spray painted on it, and a third statue on the near west side was vandalized with blue and pink paint. It was another Christopher Columbus statue located in the 800 block of South Loomis Street.
The messages are loud and clear and most residents in the areas want the statues to be removed, however a professor of history and African American studies at Chicago State University doesn't necessarily agree with that. He said a conversation should be had about what the statues mean instead of destroying history, and how people should come to grips with the roles those figures played in history and find out where we want to go.