Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

'Save The Lucas Museum' Protesters Rally Downtown

 A small group of protesters voiced their displeasure over the potential loss of the museum.
A small group of protesters voiced their displeasure over the potential loss of the museum.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Evan F. Moore

DOWNTOWN — With the future of George Lucas' lakefront museum as uncertain as the fate of Han Solo frozen in carbonite, some supporters of the project decided to strike back Wednesday.

A group of protesters camped out in front of the headquarters of Friends of the Parks on "Star Wars Day" to voice their disapproval of the group's efforts to keep the museum off the lakefront. 

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has been proposed for two sites near Soldier Field and McCormick Place, but the parks advocacy group said it doesn't want the museum on the lakefront and has already filed one lawsuit seeking to block it. 

Protesters chanted "We want the Lucas Museum" and "We don't want a lot! We want the museum!" among other things.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday asked a federal appellate court to step in and stop the Friends Of the Parks/ lawsuit against the museum proposal. 

Gino Generelli, the man who started a petition against Friends of the Parks' efforts, says he has 1,700 signatures to date. 

"I didn't know what was going to happen but somebody had to do something," Generelli said. "I was shocked to see that so many people signed within the first two weeks."

Generelli said Friends of the Parks will hurt Chicagoans for years to come if it succeeds in blocking the museum.

"They are inconsistent in what their priorities are. This creates more park space with no cost to the public," Generelli said. "This is about them having a say in who controls the lakefront. That's not what the public trust was designed to do."

Friends of the Parks released a statement on its website Wednesday disputing Generelli's claims.

"Friends of the Parks is willing to work collaboratively with the Lucas Museum, the Mayor’s Office, the Chicago Park District, the community and our open space partners to find an alternative site that is not on the lakefront or on a site that shrinks the city’s public open space. It also must be feasible financially and secure broad community support," the statement said.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: