120-year-old elk statue torched by protesters removed for safekeeping, Oregon cops say

A statue of an elk dating to 1900 has been removed for safekeeping after protesters in Portland, Oregon, set fire to its base, The Oregonian reports.

“There is concern the elk statue could topple over and injure someone,” police say, according to KATU. The fires have badly damaged the statue’s stone base.

It’s not clear why protesters have targeted the statue, normally part of summer fountain, except that it stands outside the city’s justice center downtown, a focus for protests, KGW reported.

Protesters in May also had tagged the statue with graffiti, according to the station.

“Engaging in criminal activity including vandalism and property damage is not peaceful demonstration,” said Police Chief Chuck Lovell, Willamette Week reported.

He asked that anyone with information on the vandalism contact police, according to the publication.

The elk statue was donated to Portland by former mayor David P. Thompson in 1900 to honor the wildlife that once roamed the valley, The Oregonian reported.

Protesters set fire to the statue’s granite base Wednesday night, KGW reported.

A video posted to Twitter shows flames burning around the statue’s base as protesters mill around it.

“The fire did not seem to harm the elk,” said Keith Lachowicz of the Regional Arts and Culture Council, which now owns the statue, The Oregonian reported.

The council isn’t sure when the elk statue will return or how it will repair the damaged stone base, according to the publication.

The removal of the elk statue comes as protesters and activists nationwide take aim at statues and monuments that have historical ties to slavery and colonialism — from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee to Christopher Columbus.

This story was originally published July 3, 2020 at 11:42 AM with the headline "120-year-old elk statue torched by protesters removed for safekeeping, Oregon cops say."