Several members of the Chicago City Council are calling for Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez to be removed 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.
The alderman said he was not present when the flag was burned, and did not notice the flag while he was speaking.
“I was not there (when the flag burned),” he said. “I don’t know how many people go into a press conference and look at the floor before they speak.”
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Those comments did nothing to assuage numerous members of the City Council, who are calling for Sigcho-Lopez to be censured and stripped of his chairmanship of the council’s Housing Committee.
Former Ald. Jim Balcer, a military veteran, criticized Sigcho-Lopez.
“I stood by the veterans in front of the Art Institute in 1968 when the American flag was being disrespected,” he said, comparing the alderman’s actions to those of protesters during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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Sigcho-Lopez has said that this year’s convention, which is also scheduled to be held in Chicago, should be canceled, earning the scorn of numerous colleagues.
“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.
While Sigcho-Lopez has been criticized for being at the rally where the flag was burned, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that burning the flag is Constitutionally-protected speech, including in the Texas v. Johnson case.
Ald. Bill Conway echoed similar notes, but condemned his colleague’s comments and actions.
“I fought for his right to be reprehensible, and I’d do it again,” he said. “Byron has the right to be inflammatory.”
The city council members said that without an apology, Sigcho-Lopez should be disciplined, but the alderman said he is not backing down.
“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.”
A City Council special meeting is scheduled for Monday, but would require a significant number of attendees to move forward, and it’s unclear whether that quorum will be reached.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office declined to comment on the situation.
