Sacramento covers Cesar Chavez statue in downtown plaza

Ishani Desai, The Sacramento Bee on Mar 20, 2026

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The city of Sacramento wrapped black plastic around Cesar Chavez’s statue Friday in the downtown plaza named for him, following a nationwide reckoning over allegations of sexual abuse by the labor leader.

Chavez is accused of molesting or raping young girls and civil rights hero Dolores Huerta, according to a New York Times story published Wednesday. California leaders swiftly called for the removal of Chavez’s name from monuments, streets, buildings and holidays.

A majority of the Sacramento City Council denounced Chavez and called to rename Cesar E. Chavez Plaza, where the statue overlooks a space just across from City Hall.

“It is important that our city provides space for individuals who may have been victimized,” said Gabby Miller, a city spokesperson, wrote in a statement.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty has appointed a subcommittee with council members to determine the new plaza’s name.

Former Mayor Joe Serna Jr. sought in 1997 to rename the plaza after Chavez. Sacramento is intertwined with Chavez’s history, after he and farmworkers marched hundreds of miles to the state Capitol.

The square — the backdrop to Sacramento’s celebrations, protests and gatherings — was once known as Plaza Park.