I first became aware of this sacred monument when I was a teenager. It was located on the Randolph Street Bridge over the Kennedy expressway.
In the days of the Yippies, Hippies and Weathermen (1968-1970) it became a bombing target and was blown up and rebuilt twice. Rather than continue with 24/7 guarding of this site, the statue was moved to headquarters and later to the new police academy at 1300 West Jackson Street. It’s been out of the public’s sight for decades.
It was a horrible day May 4, 1886 when anarchists murdered eight Chicago police officers. The offenders shot at the officers and threw a bomb during a labor riot. Blood ran in the streets and before it was over 70 people were killed or wounded.
The officers who were killed included Patrolman Mathias Degan, Patrolman John Barrett, Patrolman George Miller, Patrolman Timothy Flavin, Patrolman Thomas Redden, Patrolman Nels Hansen and Patrolman Michael Sheehan. Patrolman Timothy Sullivan succumbed to his wounds two years later, on June 13, 1888.
The suspects were rounded up, tried and were sentenced to be hanged. One suspect blew himself up cheating the hangman but the others danced at the bottom of the gallows located at Hubbard and Dearborn Streets.
Learn more about the murdered officers here.
Learn more about the event here.