Chicago is at the center of a heated debate over an art installation depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with blood-stained hands, clutching American-made heavy bombs.
The controversial piece, titled 'U.S.-Israel War Machine', has drawn sharp criticism from 27 of the city’s 50 aldermen, who this week urged Mayor Brandon Johnson to remove it from the iconic Chicago Cultural Center. Managed by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the show's artwork has been accused of promoting antisemitism and offending the Jewish community.
The installation features oversized puppets portraying Israel and the United States as bloodied perpetrators of violence. Next to Netanyahu, "Uncle Sam" is depicted wearing a shirt adorned with dollar signs, a Star of David, weapons, the word “Thanks,” and a smiley-face emblem. A "bucket of tears" spills from his hands. The base of the installation bears messages in English, including "Don’t Look Away" and "How Many More?"
Originally, the display included a sign listing casualty figures from Gaza, but it was removed following complaints from aldermen. The piece was created in conjunction with the Democratic National Committee conference held in Chicago last March, where Kamala Harris was officially nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.
According to explanatory notes accompanying the work, the installation aims to amplify calls for an immediate cease-fire and a weapons embargo on Israel. The creators, a group of protest artists who specialize in political puppetry, describe their mission as bringing "awareness to the streets." They ask, "What is the true cost of war?"
Alderman Debra Silverstein, the sole Jewish member of the Chicago City Council, spearheaded a letter to Mayor Johnson demanding the immediate removal of the artwork, which she and her colleagues labeled “unprotected hate speech.” In their letter, the aldermen argued the installation goes beyond legitimate criticism, instead "normalizing anti-American sentiment and promoting hate and bigotry toward the Jewish community."
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Silverstein also reached out to the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, requesting action. Her appeal was denied. While the artwork remains on display, its title has been removed, and a general warning about “sensitive content” has been added to the exhibit entrance. Silverstein expressed outrage, saying the measures are “inadequate. Displays in public buildings should reflect the values of our city, not serve as platforms for hate speech.”
In addition to calling for the piece’s removal, the aldermen are demanding a special meeting with cultural affairs officials to determine how the artwork was approved and to establish safeguards against similar controversies in the future.
The puppets are part of an exhibit titled "Potential Energy: Puppets of Chicago Up Close," created in partnership with the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.