Statue of Frank Rizzo (Philadelphia)

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Statue of Frank Rizzo in Philadelphia

The Statue of Frank Rizzo (also known as Frank L. Rizzo Monument) was installed in 1999 on Thomas Paine Plaza, outside the Municipal Services Building, Philadelphia, U.S. After his death, Rizzo's supporters raised money for a statue to commemorate his tremendous influence in the city. The Statue was removed during Black Lives Matter movement in 2020.[1]

Background

Frank L. Rizzo was a former police commissioner, then mayor, whose law-and-order tactics had come for many to symbolize racist and brutal policing in the city. He was born in 1920 and grew up in South Philadelphia. After dropped out of High School, he followed his father’s lead to the Philadelphia Police Department. He was promoted, to become deputy commissioner in 1963 and commissioner of police in 1967. Rizzo became the first police commissioner elected mayor of a U.S. city. Popular in much of the city, even adored by some, he easily won reelection in 1975.

During his time as a police commissioner, he ordered a lot of brutalities. He didn't hesitate to told cops to beat citizens - with fists or nightsticks. Besides that he also carried out many racist acts against black people. In 1967, circa 3,000 high school students protested over education system, some of them (mostly black student) clashed with the police. The two protesters said they heard Rizzo say: "Get their black asses!" but Rizzo denied that.

In 1970, after a series of police shootings, Rizzo ordered a raid on the Black Panther Party (was a Black Power political organization by college students) headquarters of Philadelphia, in which six suspects were handcuffed, placed to a wall, and stripped naked. The shocking scene was documented by a news photographer. In 1971, Rizzo decided to run for mayor and he won reelection in 1975.[2]

Statue of Frank Rizzo during Black Lives Matter

After sending police with nightsticks to disperse the protesters of black high school students. He had the Black Panthers publicly searched, engaged in a 15-month dispute with MOVE activists (the precursor to the police bombing a MOVE home in 1985), and raised taxes exponentially. The residents successfully filed a petition to remove him as a major. Rizzo then tried to change the law so he could run for election several times. He encouraged residents to “vote white,” but failed. He made later attempts at reelection, including a loss to Wilson Goode, Philly’s first black mayor, in 1983. [3]

Controversy

The activist have always wanted to see the statue removed, but after many incidents about racism across the country, the dialogue has escalated. After reports of vandalism in 2017, the authorities called up the statue and found statues sprayed with "black power" and "black communities should be their own police" everywhere in the base.[4]

Crown in the Municipal Services Building

Due to Rizzo's legacy of brazen intolerance and racism, the statue has become a focal point in the Philadelphia protests over black deaths during the Black Lives Matter movement in June 2020. Not long after that, the City took down a memorial to a man who exploited its divisions. Mayor Jim Kenney tweeted "The Frank Rizzo statue represented bigotry, hatred, and oppression for too many people, for too long. It is finally gone,"[5]

Black Empowerment

Not long after the Rizzo's statue was removed (in June 2020), directly above the Plaza, where the Rizzo's statue was located, visual artist Russell Craig created a huge temporary mural called "Crown", decorating the upper part of the glass curtain wall on the first floor of the Municipal Services Building. The mural depicts a phalanx of multi-ethnic protesters, with black power fists raised, including crowned spikes. Protesters stood before a names, commemorating dozens of black people murdered by police across the country.[6]

The "Crown" is a response to protests that support the Black Lives Matter and the fight to end systemic racism and inequality.[7]

References

  1. Melamed, Samantha.The Rizzo statue disappeared early Wednesday. Philadelphia is still unpacking its legacy. The Philadelphia Inquirer June 3, 2020. Retrieved January 22 2021.
  2. Gambacorta,David. Frank Rizzo leaves a legacy of unchecked police brutality and division in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer June 3, 2020. Retrieved January 22 2021.
  3. Tafelski, Tanner. Looking Back at Philadelphia’s Notoriously Racist Mayor Frank Rizzo. Hyperallergic June 15, 2020. Retrieved January 22 2021.
  4. Statue of Former Philly Mayor Frank Rizzo Graffitied with "Black Power". VLAD Tv August 18, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  5. Chappell, Bill. Frank Rizzo Statue Is Removed In Philadelphia: 'It Is Finally Gone,' Mayor Says. NPR June 3, 2020. Retrieved January 22 2021.
  6. “We Are Our Own Monuments”: Dispatch from Philly. The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  7. CROWN. Mural Arts Philadelphia August 26, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.