A grassroots group of current and former Ventura residents has sued the city over the removal last week of a statue of 18th century Spanish missionary Junipero Serra from in front of City Hall.
The new Coalition for Historical Integrity filed its suit in Ventura County Superior Court on July 21, two days before the statue was removed from public land and put in storage with the ultimate goal of moving it to Mission San Buenaventura, which Serra founded.
The suit sought to block the city from removing the monument on grounds that the City Council had “abused their discretion” when it found on July 15 that the statue did not meet the requirements to be designated a historic landmark.
The council’s finding meant that the statue could be removed without first having to undergo an environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, as it’s commonly referred to.
The suit will now seek to have the statue brought back to its longtime site at California and Poli streets outside City Hall, the plaintiff’s attorney, James McDermott, said Monday.
Full story at Ventura County Star.
I sometimes think attorneys gin up these lawsuits.
How can former residents be part of a grassroots effort? I don’t think the author knows what grassroots means.
Glad to see this group part of the growing effort to stand up to totalitarian thuggery.
Good go to court and make them prove father Serra was anything other than a wonderful priest make them prove he discriminated or was a racist once they can’t prove it then put all the statues back up after all the protests are only because we have a world full of anti-Christianity and has nothing to do with racism
Amen to those defenders of the faith . These staues are not just Christian but history . Something no one cares about any more . History good or bad . Right or wrong cannot be changed . Remembering history keeps us from repeating past wrongs as well as celebrating all that is/ was done for good .
Mother Mary prayer for us , with us . Through Your Son Jesus Christ , to God our Father for an end to ignorance