MILWAUKEE — The statue of civil rights icon Cesar Chavez has been removed from the pedestrian plaza in front of El Rey market on Milwaukee’s south side.
The owners of the market say they plan to replace the statue with one of a migrant family. The life-size bronze statue of Cesar Chavez was installed on March 31, 2016.
The removal comes after an investigation by The New York Times published March 18n found “extensive” evidence that Chavez groomed and sexually abused girls as young as 12 who worked in the United Farm Workers co-founder’s movement. The article included statements from several women including Dolores Huerta, perhaps Chavez’s most well-known female advocate within the UFW movement.
The City of Milwaukee also cancelled its planned Cesar Chavez Day celebration following new allegations of sexual assault and grooming against the late civil rights activist.
