Giant obelisk at the center of Santa Fe Plaza getting boarded up

SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – After protests and a lot of vandalism the giant obelisk at the center of the Santa Fe Plaza is getting boarded up for a new art project. City crews will build an eight-foot wall of plywood around the 133-foot tall monument. They’re asking artists to help cover that spire’s barrier with a new mural. The obelisk is dedicated to Civil War-era soldiers but it’s also been criticized for its depiction of Native Americans.

Santa Fe’s mayor has asked for the monument to be removed but crews say it’s too delicate to do that. Multiple rounds of recent vandalism have left the obelisk covered with spray paint and chipped rock.