Editing 2020 Racial Justice Protests (section)

== Rizzo Statue Removal ==

The Frank Rizzo statue, which had stood outside the Municipal Services Building since 1998, became a focal point during the protests. To protesters, Rizzo represented the era of aggressive, racially biased policing that they were marching against. The statue had been controversial since its installation; critics had long called for its removal. On June 3, 2020, Mayor Kenney ordered the statue removed, citing public safety concerns after protesters attempted to topple it. The removal, accomplished overnight, eliminated a symbol that many Black Philadelphians had found offensive for decades.<ref name="leblanc"/>

The statue's removal symbolized broader reckoning with Philadelphia's racial history. Christopher Columbus statues became targets as well, with protesters attempting to remove a Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza that the city eventually boxed to protect. The debate over statues reflected larger questions about whose history is commemorated in public space and whose grievances are acknowledged. The removal decisions satisfied protesters while angering those who saw the statues as honoring legitimate historical figures. The controversy over monuments continues as Philadelphia and other cities reconsider how public space represents history.<ref name="taylor"/>