Aldermen demand removal of Chicago Cultural Center art display they call antisemitic
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A majority of the City Council is demanding that an art exhibit they believe is antisemitic be immediately removed from the Chicago Cultural Center downtown.
The display, titled U.S-Israel War Machine, is part of an exhibit on puppets.
One puppet in the exhibit depicts "Uncle Sam" with a bloody face, and a t-shirt with the image of a tank, the word "money," and the words "thank you" and a smiley face.
Another puppet depicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding a bomb, with blood on his hands.
The wooden bases supporting the puppets include the words "child killers."
In a letter to the mayor, a group of 27 aldermen said, while Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Clinee Hedspeth agreed to remove a sign with the display's title "US-Israel War Machine," along with a "death count" included in the exhibit, and added a warning label saying the display could contain sensitive content, they believe the exhibit is still offensive and should come down immediately.
"The piece is extremely offensive to the United States and to Israel and crosses into unprotected hate speech. Such representations normalize anti-American sentiment and promote hatred and bigotry against the Jewish community," they wrote.
The aldermen said such divisive artwork should not be displayed in a building funded by taxpayer dollars.
"As public officials, we respect freedom of speech and artistic expression, but not when it crosses into the obscene and promotes hate. The Chicago Cultural Center is a public space funded by taxpayer dollars, and displays there should reflect the values of our diverse and vibrant city," they wrote.
The aldermen also want Hedspeth to join them at a public hearing before the City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation, so they can make sure similar incidents don't happen in the future.
Representatives for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which operates the Chicago Cultural Center, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mayor Brandon Johnson's office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
