With all the recent backlash and controversy over the confederate monuments in the south, Philadelphians have decided to speak out against our city’s own allegedly infamous monument. A bronze statue standing 9 feet tall dedicated to former Police Commissioner and Mayor Frank Rizzo.
Rizzo was notorious for tough and often brutish tactics against minorities such as homosexuals and African Americans during his commission as mayor.
Civilians have expressed their distaste for the homage to the former mayor not just emotionally, but physically. Both the statue and the mural of Rizzo overlooking the Italian Market in South Philadelphia have endured vandalism. The mural was defaced in late August with white streaks down the former mayor’s face and the words “kill killer cops” painted in the corner of the mural. According to Philly.com this took place just two days after the words “black power” were painted on Rizzo’s statue.
All of the current controversy has led to city council members like Helen Gym coming out and calling for the retirement of the statue. Mayor Kenney has also made clear that he is open to discussing the removal of the monument.
When asked about the possible retirement of Rizzo’s statue, former Philadelphia cop Terry Houck who served on the force from 1977 to 1986 simply said, “they don’t understand history… I get that they’re trying to make a stand, but that man was an icon, a fixture in the city of Philadelphia.”
“He wasn’t a hero of mine,” Houck admitted, “but to lump him in with the likes of white supremacists really insults the memory the people of this city hold of him.” As for the vandalism committed, Houck said, “the answer is never to commit a crime, if people want to talk let’s talk, but to commit a crime is just not the solution.”
Maria McGrath, a history professor here at Bucks had a few words to say about the matter as well. “This is a tough subject for the people of Philadelphia… He (Rizzo) came in during a super hot period and he took control, people looked at him as someone who could take care of things, as someone who could restore the traditional values of America… He was there to end social disorder.”
In terms of the backlash about the statue’s removal, “if you’re a white Philly native then you can’t just say no,” Professor McGrath expressed, “because then you’re not really listening to your fellow citizens. You gotta take a step back, look at this history of the city and ask why might people not be okay with this?”
Even those who don’t admire Rizzo know the reality of how difficult the removal of the statue will be. “He was a racist,” said former Glenside-native-turned-Doylestown-resident who has chosen to remain anonymous. “But you can’t convince an Italian Philadelphian that he was a bad mayor, that statue is like the Rocky statue to a lot of people.”
The City Council comes back to session this month and with that there are expected public processes that will explore whether or not the statue should be relocated. As of right now it’s unsure how the situation will unfold.