The City of Milwaukee has removed a statue of Cesar Chavez amid shocking child sexual assault allegations
In a swift response to explosive allegations of sexual abuse against César Chávez, the City of Milwaukee has taken steps to distance itself from the late activist, covering a prominent statue in his honor and removing commemorative plaques amid growing calls to erase his name from public spaces.
A life-size bronze statue of Chávez outside El Rey Family Market on South César E. Chávez Drive was shrouded in black plastic on Thursday, and dedication plaques were stripped from the site overnight. The store’s owner, Ernesto Villarreal, announced plans to remove the statue entirely and replace it with one depicting a migrant family, calling it a more fitting tribute to the Latino community.
The city has not yet announced whether it will rename César E. Chávez Drive.
The action followed a New York Times investigation published March 18 detailing credible claims that Chávez groomed and sexually abused girls as young as 12 and 13 during the 1970s, when he led the United Farm Workers union he co-founded. Co-founder Dolores Huerta also alleged Chávez raped her in the 1960s.
Milwaukee officials moved quickly to cancel the city’s annual César Chávez Day celebration, scheduled for late March. Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa issued a statement believing the accusers and emphasizing that the farmworker movement’s legacy belongs to thousands, not one flawed individual. Discussions are underway about potentially renaming César Chávez Drive, originally 16th Street until 1996.
Conservatives have long criticized the hagiography surrounding Chávez, pointing to his radical tactics and now these disturbing revelations as evidence that progressive icons often receive undue reverence. Supporters argue the moves protect survivors and refocus on genuine community heroes, but critics see it as belated damage control that avoids deeper accountability for elevating a man with such serious accusations.
The scandal has rippled nationwide, with similar statue coverings and name reconsiderations in California and elsewhere.
