CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Lower West Side Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th) responded on Monday to criticism that stemmed from a photo showing him speaking near a burned American flag over the weekend.
At an unrelated press conference, Sigcho Lopez said critics were quick to react to the picture being shared online of him standing in front of a burned American flag.
The alderman was attending a rally against the Democratic National Convention coming to Chicago but said he wasn’t there for the actual flag burning.
“My participation was very clear: Ratified by the evidence, ratified by the organizer and ratified by the Marine veteran, who actually now is putting forward a statement because of the malicious intent not only to criminalize me but also to criminalize the immigrant community,” he said.
He also read a statement from the Marine veteran, who admitted to burning the flag at the rally.
Sigcho Lopez said his colleagues — including Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd), who first called Sigcho Lopez anti-American — have since walked back their comments made online.
WBBM Newsradio has reached out to Waguespack and Northwest Side Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), the latter of whom is a former Marine and called the photos “totally disgusting,” for comment.
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