A city commissioner has apologized to a group of Brooklyn College art students for ordering the removal of what he deemed “inappropriate” artwork from a war memorial last May, an incident that incited free-speech activists, and provoked a First Amendment lawsuit.
As part of that lawsuit’s settlement this week, the city paid the students’ $40,000 legal bill and gave each of the 19 litigants $750. In addition, Parks Department Borough Commissioner Julius Spiegel issued a contrite apology.
“I apologize to the Brooklyn College art students who spent long hours and considerable effort in creating their artwork and in mounting their exhibition at the Brooklyn Memorial site,” read the apology, printed on Parks Department letterhead.
Spiegel’s long-awaited apology puts a happy ending on a saga that began after he shut down the students’ exhibition in the World War II Memorial in Cadman Plaza Park claiming to be acting on behalf of veterans, who would supposedly have been offended by artwork that included a sculpture of a hand holding a penis and a painting describing a homosexual encounter between the artist and Dick Cheney.
Spiegel’s move sparked student protests and, ultimately, a lawsuit filed on their and their professor’s behalf by First Amendment lawyer Norman Siegel.
Spiegel’s apology claimed that he “had no role in the removal and subsequent damage to Plaintiffs’ artwork,” but admitted that he was responsible “for ordering the closing of the Plaintiffs’ art exhibit.”
Marni Kotak, one of the artists whose work was removed, said she was “very happy with the statement from the city. It’s really strong.”
“We’re hoping that it will somehow deter future violations of student artists’ First Amendment rights,” added Kotak.
