A state district judge has ordered the city of Santa Fe to remove the wooden box and shrubbery surrounding the remnants of the Plaza obelisk within 30 days unless the city requests and secures a stay. The ruling, issued Friday by District Judge Mathew Wilson, also directs the city to either rebuild the Soldiers’ Monument within 180 days or consider alternative options, potentially prolonging the contentious debate over the monument’s fate.
The decision, which follows months of deliberation after a trial in the case, is a significant victory for Union Protectíva de Santa Fé, a historic preservation group that sued Santa Fe far-left Democrat Mayor Alan Webber and the city over the monument’s destruction during Columbus Day in 2020.
Wilson’s ruling supports the group’s claims that the obelisk is protected under the state Prehistoric and Historic Preservation Act and that any changes to the monument must adhere to the act’s guidelines. The city’s actions—including a proclamation calling for the obelisk’s removal and the construction of the large protective box—were deemed noncompliant with the act.
In his decision, Wilson stated that obscuring the obelisk violated state laws protecting historic sites. He described the monument as “an integral part of the aesthetic, character, and history of the Plaza.”
Erected in 1868, the Soldiers’ Monument honors Union soldiers from the Civil War. In 2020, Mayor Webber called for the obelisk’s removal, along with other monuments in the area, including a Kit Carson memorial (which was violently attacked) and a statue of Don Diego de Vargas (which was removed in the dead of night and stashed in a city worker’s yard until it was removed to the history museum), amid growing protests by radicalized out-of-state “activists.” Later that year, the monument was toppled during a protest, and the city’s subsequent efforts to address the issue have repeatedly faltered.
Friday’s ruling was met with approval from Union Protectíva members and others advocating for the monument’s restoration. Daniel Ortiz, founder of the Hispanic Anti-Defamation Association, expressed hope that the decision signaled “the end of cancel culture on the Plaza.”
Attorney Kenneth Stalter, who represented Union Protectíva during the trial, called the ruling “a victory for the rule of law and for the preservation of our shared history.”
“The Court’s ruling underscores that government entities must follow established legal processes when altering historic sites,” Stalter said. “The Soldiers’ Monument holds deep cultural and historical value for the Santa Fe community, and today’s judgment ensures that it will once again be visible as a central feature of the Plaza, where it belongs.”
The judge’s decision allows the city to choose from several options regarding the monument’s future.
I do not know anything about the plaza but it just reminds us of the socialists that run our government in and across the state. Many New Mexicans have no representation in our government. If the conservatives start to leave the socialist will have total control and our beautiful state will fail as california is doing. they will change your children’s sex with out your permission, they will take your guns, force you to drive electric cars that are not saving the world, control where you live (final goal is no one but the rich will own a home) you will pay more taxes and have less rights and you will not be able to complain about it, sad, sad, sad.
You are so right. I have been saying this for years. And yet the people of NM continue to vote in these radical socialist/communist people. Why? that is my question.
How bout we deport the LibTard, Commie/Socialists from our state? Deniers of History and Culture and Public Education should be abrogated to a box or chainlink yard, where they can congregate in their ignorance…
The easy destruction of of the monument demonstrated a total lack of appreciation for art and no comprehension of the past. The inscription could be removed and soon be forgotten. History can be revised as it often is but the little patrimony that survives should be preserved to honor the struggle it took to survive.
Thank you Judge Wilson for standing up for NM’s history and culture.
Trump’s victory ushered in a new day for Mexico and the rest of the country.
If those who maliciously destroyed this public property had been properly prosecuted instead of having their hands slapped, this kind of behavior would stop!
Destroying and rebuilding the way they think it should be. No real truth to the historical facts, erase and hope people forget.
Statues, obelisks, nor memorials create jobs or put food on the table. They are simply historical remembrances who have their place in areas to serve as reminders.
New Mexicans need to push for quality work, cheaper fuel prices, better water management so we can freely farm and provide for our families. Politicos do nothing more that keep us all distracted by things that matter little today, so they can pilfer and grow their bank accounts at the cost of the taxpayers.
NM Gov. breaks the law everyday and noone cares.