The Chicago City Council voted against a measure that would have removed Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez from his leadership post after he appeared at a rally over the weekend condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
A U.S. flag was burned by a military veteran at the rally, and photos showed Sigcho-Lopez standing in front of it as he delivered remarks at the event.
By a 29-16 vote during a special council session, lawmakers opted not to remove Sigcho-Lopez from his post as the chair of the council's Housing Committee.
Ald. Chris Taliaferro spoke during Monday's meeting, saying that Sigcho-Lopez had apologized for appearing with the group.
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“When I spoke to my colleague, I forgave him for what I had in my heart, what I believed to be an inappropriate action. It was with that I could accept his apology, and say that’s enough for me," he said.
Sigcho-Lopez said he did not condone the actions of those at the event, but said that he believed that the burning of the American flag was an expression of free speech.
“I made my apologies clear. I have not condoned, nor participated in any of those actions that some of my colleagues claim. At the same time, I’m not condemning a veteran for his First Amendment rights," he said.
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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a statement following the Council meeting.
“I believe strongly in the democratic process and was pleased to see Ald. Sigcho-Lopez and Ald. Taliaferro reaching a mutual understanding and moving forward,” he said. “I once again applaud members of City Council for their thoughtful debate and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to address the urgent needs of all Chicagoans.”
Sigcho-Lopez had said he was not present when the flag was burned, and did not notice the flag while he was speaking.
Other lawmakers had criticized Sigcho-Lopez for calling for the cancellation of the Democratic National Convention over the Biden Administration's handling of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We have the right to call out our colleague, who should be held to a higher standard when he’s making comments about cancelling the DNC, making comments about the commander-in-chief in front of a charred flag,” Ald. Gilbert Villegas said last week.
The alderman had stood by the comments when interviewed by NBC Chicago last week.
“Yes, (the DNC should be canceled),” he said. “The president and many people in leadership have neglected the issue of migration, and have neglected the genocide in Gaza.”
