The 33-foot high monument, known as the Soldier’s Monument or simply the Obelisk. Courtesy photo
Remains of the Obelisk June 14, 2021. Courtesy photo
COURT News:
SANTA FE – This morning, Union Protectíva de Santa Fé announced that through its counsel, Ken Stalter, the organization has filed suit seeking injunctions against Mayor Alan Webber and the City of Santa Fe “for calling for and allowing the destruction of the Soldier’s Monument, which was erected in 1868 to honor Hispanic veterans for their service, and desecrating the Plaza”.
The complaint explains how Mayor Webber violated the law by spending, and attempting to spend, taxpayer funds to alter the historic Santa Fe Plaza. The lawsuit seeks remedies such as halting Mayor Webber’s plans to remove and alter the Obelisk, and to force him to comply with the law by restoring the Santa Fe Plaza and Soldier’s Monument to their pre-vandalism states.
“Mayor Webber has greatly harmed every veteran, every Hispanic, every New Mexican, and all tourists with his blatant disrespect of the law that protects the Soldier’s Monument and Santa Fe Plaza,” said Union Protectíva de Santa Fé President Virgil Vigil. “We are asking the courts to stop this racial injustice toward all Hispanic people and northern New Mexicans, and to return honor to all of our veterans who served and sacrificed for this nation by restoring the Monument.”
“Mayor Webber violated New Mexico law when he disregarded the clear legal protections for the Soldier’s Monument and Santa Fe Plaza,” Attorney Ken Stalter said. “We want not only justice for those harmed by Mayor Webber’s actions but also a strong precedent protecting the thousands of historic sites that honor all races, creeds, and religions across New Mexico.”
Note: The United States Secretary of the Interior designated the Santa Fe Plaza a National Historic Landmark in 1960. A National Register Nomination Form for the Plaza was prepared by Richard Greenwood, Historian, Landmark Review Task Force, Historic Sites Survey, 5 Washington, D.C., in 1975, and was signed by the Keeper of the National Register on September 20, 1983. Accordingly, the Santa Fe Plaza is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Source: Excerpt from lawsuit.
