Chicago Councilmen Call To Remove Antisemitic Puppet Show At Local Cultural Center

NEW YORK (VINnews) — A majority of Chicago’s City Council signed a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson Wednesday condemning a puppet display at the Chicago Cultural Center as antisemitic and calling on the city to take it down.

The free, public exhibit, dubbed “The U.S. Israel War Machine” and located in the municipal building features a two-sided “protest puppet” with bloodied caricatures of Uncle Sam and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Writing on the wooden bases holding up the puppet criticizes U.S. financial support for Israel’s war efforts in Gaza and labels the characters as “children killers” and “murderers.”

Occasionally I think “anti-Semitic” can be overused, but not here. In the taxpayer funded Chicago Cultural Center, it depicts “AmeriKKKa” (sic) & Israel as child killers.

It includes anti-Semitic tropes from Nazi Germany too. pic.twitter.com/R0xlHyamqJ

— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) January 19, 2025

The letter, signed by 27 aldermen and sent to Johnson Wednesday morning, said that the display is “extremely offensive” and “crosses into unprotected hate speech.” However, some aldermen argued that the pushback against the artwork is a threat to free speech.

The group’s letter called on Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth to remove the display. It also requested Hedpseth attend a City Council hearing to explain how the display was approved and “outline steps that will be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

“As public officials, we respect freedom of speech and artistic expression, but not when it crosses into the obscene and promotes hate,” the letter said. “The Chicago Cultural Center is a public space funded by taxpayer dollars, and displays there should reflect the values of our diverse and vibrant city. Artwork that is this divisive should not use public funds without a clear, transparent vetting process.”

The City Council’s lone Jewish member, Ald. Debra Silverstein, said she spoke with Hedspeth over the weekend about the exhibit. The commissioner agreed to remove the display’s title, “US-Israel War Machine,” added a warning that the exhibition “contains sensitive content” and removed a death count included in the exhibit, the alderwoman said.

Silverstein said she had hoped to speak with Hedspeth again Tuesday to discuss removing the display, but did not receive a response when she contacted the commissioner.

DCASE spokesperson Bria Purdiman later released a statement saying the department and city are “committed to upholding artistic freedom and expression, which are foundational to a vibrant and inclusive society.”

“We understand the power of art and differing perspectives,” the statement said. “The department and City will continue collaborative dialogue with elected officials and community members to reach common ground.”

In criticizing the display, Silverstein called it “very anti-American, and very antisemitic.” Asked if she believes censoring the artwork would violate First Amendment protections, she argued it went too far and should not get taxpayer support.

“I do believe in freedom of speech and artistic expression, I do. But I definitely feel like this is crossing a line and promoting hate,” Silverstein said.

But to Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, 33rd, the letter represented a “very dangerous position to take” and an “attempt against free speech.” The alderwoman has been at odds with Silverstein for months in debates related to the war in Gaza and again Wednesday decried Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide.”

“We cannot be getting into the business of censoring art,” she said. “I think that our public spaces are meant to actually have discussions, and to have multiple points of views.”