NYC to consider removing statues of George Washington, create reparations task force amid budget cuts
As New York City cripples beneath monumental budget cuts due to a migrant disaster straining public assets, the town council is planning to consider a collection of measures that might, amongst different issues, take away statues of main historic figures like George Washington and create a reparations task force.
The objects are included in New York City’s council agenda for Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The council’s Cultural Affairs Committee will maintain a public listening to on a measure to take away works of artwork on metropolis property that “depict a person who owned enslaved persons or directly benefited economically from slavery, or who participated in systemic crimes against indigenous peoples or other crimes against humanity.”
Peter Gerard Stuyvesant bronze statue in Stuyvesant Square in New York City. (Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/Universal Images Group through Getty Images)
This standards would come with figures like America’s first president George Washington, Dutch governor and New York settler Peter Stuyvesant, in addition to Christopher Columbus – all of whom have statues all through the town.

The statue of Christopher Columbus on June 12, 2020, at Columbus Circle in New York City. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP through Getty Images)
If the Public Design Commission (PDC) decided not to take away the work of artwork, then it might be required to embrace a plan to set up an “explanatory plaque” subsequent to the work of artwork. The proposal would additionally require PDC to seek the advice of with the Department of Education to set up plaques on sidewalks or different public area adjoining to colleges named after an individual that matches the standards.
Also on Tuesday’s agenda is a proposal to create a task force to “consider the impact of slavery and pas injustices for African Americans in New York City and reparations for such injustices.”
Other proposals name for anti-racism coaching for human providers contractors and metropolis workers in addition to requiring the position of an info signal close to the intersection of Wall and Pearl Streets “to mark the site of New York’s first slave market.”

George Washington statue sits in Union Square Park in New York, New York. (Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
These proposals come as the town has been crippled beneath excessive budget cuts due to the inflow of migrants the town’s mayor says are straining public assets.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams mentioned final week that the inflow of tens of hundreds of migrants will convey a “financial tsunami” as departments are compelled to slash budgets to accommodate the brand new arrivals.
The mayor additional warned that each metropolis division will seemingly see budget cuts to tackle the anticipated $12 billion price ticket of the migrant disaster.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A spokesperson for Adams’ workplace informed Fox News Digital that the mayor is reviewing tomorrow’s proposals. A spokesperson from metropolis council didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.