Chicago City Council hearing on art display some call antisemitic gets heated

CBS News

05-02-2025

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A piece of art at the Chicago Cultural Center set off a heated discussion in City Council Chambers Tuesday.
The display, titled "U.S-Israel War Machine," is part of an exhibit on puppets. A group of alderpeople want it removed.
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."
The City Council did not vote on anything with regard to the artwork Tuesday, but they did go on for hours discussing how art pieces are selected and go into city-owned spaces.
It turned into a debate about the freedom of expression, possible antisemitism, and the use of taxpayer dollars.
The City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation has sometimes been called the "fun committee." But at a meeting of just that committee on Tuesday, speakers used the words "obnoxious." Some called the demands to remove the artwork "an attack on free speech," while others described the art in question as part of a "pattern of disrespect and disregard by the Mayor's office."
Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) spearheaded efforts to remove the display at the Cultural Center. The artwork is part of the exhibit "Potential Energy: Chicago Puppets Up Close"—which is described as a display that "challenges expectations about puppetry and inspires the public to tell their own stories."
Silverstein and her supporters feel the "U.S.-Israel War Machine" is antisemitic. The hearing Tuesday was meant to help alders understand how the piece was chosen for display.
"When art is deemed controversial, there is a process," said Clinée Hedspeth, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. "That process did not happen."
Hedspeth explained the complainant is supposed to meet with the curator and the artist to find common ground. In this case, a wall plaque, along with a "death count," was removed and replaced for possibly displaying sensitive content that could by perceived as opinion.
Ald. Bill Conway (34th) questioned why the puppets were not also removed.
Conway:"What made you go ahead and remove that wall panel?"
Hedspeth:"It didn't identify who the creator was, and it was an opinion piece."
Another exchange had alders calling for Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) to be removed.
"Talk about the process!" Sigcho-Lopez said. "White supremacist!"
Committee Chairman Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th) called for the dramatic back-and-forth to stop. It was extinguished.
Conway later said Sigcho-Lopez said the "white supremacist" remark was not directed personally at him.
"We talked about it behind closed doors. He apologized and said that those remarks were not directed towards me," Conway said. "I have no desire to escalate. I appreciate him doing that, and I have no desire to escalate this."
In the meeting, alders also discussed how to make outdoor festivals safer by using barriers to block cars from pedestrians. One big question is the expense.