Philly set to return Frank Rizzo Statue to Monument Committee
Philly set to return Frank Rizzo Statue to group that donated it to city
It has been about five years since Philadelphia officials removal the statue Frank Rizzo from City Hall due to unrest from protester; and now, it is to be return to its rightful owners.
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The Frank L. Rizzo Monument Committee donated the statue to the city in 1998, and when it was removed from the public eye, it was hoisted away in a storage unit. The committee never was returned their donation which prompted a lawsuit by the Frank Rizzo Monument Committee, led by Jodi Della Barba.
“It’s a big thing. We worked hard to get the statue, to raise the money and then when that statue came down it was just horrendous,” said Della Barba.
Why was the Frank Rizzo statue removed?
The Rizzo statue stood on the steps of the Municipal Services Building in Center City for more than 20 years, attracting graffiti and protests — until the civil unrest of 2020 drew such anger that then-Mayor Jim Kenney declared it a public safety hazard and had it removed.
After deliberation from the Philadelphia Art Commission, who was in charge of housing the statue, voted unanimously on Wednesday to deaccession the statue and return it to the Frank Rizzo Monument Committee.
Details of Frank Rizzo Monument Committee Lawsuit
Under the settlement, the city will haul the statue out of storage and donate $80,000 dollars to the committee for repairs. The committee has agreed to display the statue only on private property and inside a building or behind a fence, wall or other structure that blocks it from public view. Della Barba declined to say what location the committee is considering.
The place we picked I think will be very safe. It’s just a place where he belongs,” she said.
Rizzo’s son, former City Councilman Frank Rizzo Jr., said he was just happy to see it taken out of storage. “I’m glad he’s going to see the day of light again,” he said.
“It’s a triumph for the people of Philadelphia, for his family, for his followers,” said Della Barba, “and just in general for what’s right.”
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Philly set to return Frank Rizzo Statue to group that donated it to city was originally published on rnbphilly.com
