Civil rights group says act reminiscent of KKK and White Supremacist hate
The Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the discovery of a burning cross in Grant Park on June 9, calling the act a disturbing reminder of the Ku Klux Klan’s legacy of racial terror and white supremacist intimidation.
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In a statement, Jordan Esparza-Kelley, Communications Coordinator for CAIR-Chicago, said:
“Anti-Black racism and white supremacist intimidation have no place in Chicago. Hate groups and individuals who traffic in these symbols appear increasingly emboldened, especially under the current federal administration and influence of elected officials, who allow these acts of hate to fester without taking action. We expect a thorough investigation into this incident and accountability for those responsible. It is long past time for our city and state leaders to prioritize the safety, dignity, and well-being of Black communities and all those targeted by hate.”
The burning cross is one of the most recognizable symbols associated with the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist violence. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, cross burnings have historically been used to terrorize Black Americans and intimidate other communities of color. The symbol has long been associated with lynchings, racial violence, and organized campaigns of intimidation carried out by the Klan and affiliated white supremacist groups. During the struggle against school desegregation in the 1950s and 1960s, burning crosses were frequently displayed outside homes, schools, and public spaces as acts of racial intimidation.
This latest incident is part of a troubling pattern of highly visible white nationalist and hate-based displays appearing throughout Chicago and the greater North Shore region. Just last week, alarming target-practice posters depicting sharks labeled “ICE” and alien-themed imagery were reportedly found in Waukegan, Zion, and North Chicago. Earlier this year, CAIR-Chicago condemned reports of “murder Black women” being spray-painted on a Black woman-owned theater in Hyde Park.
CAIR-Chicago is particularly alarmed that a symbol so closely tied to racial terror and white supremacist violence appeared in one of Chicago’s most prominent public spaces. Grant Park welcomes over 20 million visitors annually and serves as the backdrop for some of the city’s most celebrated cultural events and landmarks, including Millennium Park, Cloud Gate (“The Bean”), and Buckingham Fountain.
CAIR-Chicago stands in solidarity with Black Chicagoans and all communities targeted by hate. While the burning cross is most closely associated with anti-Black racism, such acts of intimidation threaten the safety and sense of belonging of all residents. Hate symbols and bias-motivated acts directed at any community—including religious communities such as Christians, Muslims, Jews, and others—must be unequivocally rejected.
CAIR-Chicago urges community members who experience or witness bias incidents, discrimination, or hate crimes to report them to local law enforcement and to CAIR-Chicago’s Civil Rights Department at: www.cairchicago.org/report-discrimination
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: Ahmed Rehab Executive Director 202-870-0166, arehab@cair.com; Jordan Esparza-Kelley Communications Coordinator 224-627-1032, j-esparzakelley@cair.com