City Will Return Gorilla Statue Removed After Complaints It Was ‘Racially Insensitive’
Annie Potasznik, KTVT-TV, February 28, 2018
UPDATED: February 28, 2018 1:15 PM Corsicana city council member Jeff Smith posted to Facebook that the city will return the gorilla statue inside his cage as soon as weather permits.
A statue of a gorilla, and prime attraction for kids at the Community Park playground in Corsicana was removed by the city.
A spokesperson for the city said some community members found the gorilla offensive – racially insensitive — in some form, and requested its removal from the park.
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Part of a playful, circus-theme, the man-made gorilla held his ground for 19 years. It was in a cage, since it wasn’t reinforced and could fall over if kids climbed on it.
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But now, in his absence, memorials and growing crowds at sit-ins fill the void. A protestor sits in the cage, refusing to move until the gorilla is returned.
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“It was a little strange, a little random, very unexpected,” one protestor told CBS 11 News.
Those in opposition said they would have liked to at least weigh in on the discussion.
A Facebook page called ” In Memory Of Dobby” was started in memoriam of the gorilla. Fans shared their memories and posted pics, too.
