Santa Fe City Council votes to move or repair controversial obelisk

By KOB

Santa Fe city councilors pass resolution on obelisk

Councilors voted in favor of the resolution to either move it or replace it but agreed they need more information.

SANTA FE, N.M. — The Santa Fe City Council voted Wednesday to either move a controversial monument from the plaza or repair it.

However, they agreed that they still need more information.

Before the vote, dozens of community members spoke passionately about what should happen to the soldiers’ monument. Most people who spoke wanted to keep it on the Santa Fe Plaza. Some believed the plaque should be removed.

The obelisk was completed in 1868 to honor Union soldiers. However, the plaque contains a quote specifically honoring “the heroes who have fallen in the various battles with savage Indians.”

Protesters toppled the obelisk on Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2020. Since then, a box has covered the remains.

Councilors explored the possibility of moving the obelisk to the Santa Fe National Cemetery. They first discussed this resolution in February 2023. Along the way, people have criticized the council for not doing enough to create alternatives to the monument.

Last month, there was also a trial to determine if Mayor Alan Webber’s proclamation to remove the monument and three others was illegal. Judge Matthew Wilson still hasn’t issued his ruling.

In regards to moving the obelisk to the national cemetery, the city manager would still need approval from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. The department determines whether or not the monument will stand at the national cemetery.

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