The Brief
- A Cesar Chavez statue outside El Rey grocery store in Milwaukee was covered and plaques removed Thursday following new abuse allegations.
- Community members and leaders, including Ivone Acosta and Alejandro Rivera, expressed shock and discussed possibly renaming Chavez-related sites.
- The city’s Cesar Chavez Day celebration scheduled for later this month will not take place.
MILWAUKEE – A prominent statue of Cesar Chavez on Milwaukee’s south side has been covered following new allegations of sexual abuse against the late civil rights leader.
What we know:
The fallout follows a New York Times report detailing the allegations, prompting reaction across Latino communities in Milwaukee and beyond. Local community members say the news has been sad and shocking.
“It’s shocking. It’s something we did not see coming. He was a prominent figure that was well known and respected, especially in our Latino community,” said Ivone Acosta, a Milwaukee resident.…