Plans to reinstall a redesigned Abraham Lincoln statue in Portland, Oregon, in early 2027 have ignited significant local opposition, with critics arguing the city's approach is insulting to the former president. The statue, originally erected on a tall pedestal, was toppled and vandalized in October 2020 during racial injustice demonstrations following the murder of George Floyd.
The city's Office of Arts & Culture announced in June that the monument will be placed on a lower, seismically upgraded base, making it "closer to the public." The new design also incorporates historical narrative text with QR codes and interpretive panels. However, this decision has drawn sharp criticism from Portland residents, including prominent business figures.
In a letter sent to Mayor Keith Wilson, 43 Portlanders, including Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and businessman Jordan Schnitzer, expressed their disdain for the redesign. They argued that the original placement on a tall pedestal should be preserved or the statue should not be reinstalled at all. The letter stated that "the act of removing Lincoln from his pedestal has a universally understood meaning; it is a demeaning gesture which permanently humiliates the person it commemorates."
The 10-foot statue was pushed over and spray-painted with "DAKOTA 38" on October 11, 2020, during a protest that targeted Lincoln for his role in the 1862 execution of 38 Dakota men, the largest mass execution in U.S. history. The Dakota men were hanged on December 26, 1862, in Mankato, Minnesota, following the U.S.-Dakota War.
According to The NW Examiner, the decision to reinstate the statue on a lower podium in front of its original pedestal was made on December 18, 2025, by the Portland Office of Arts and Culture and the Regional Arts & Culture Council, with the plan reportedly not being announced to the public. Preservation expert William J. Hawkins III stated that the toppling of the statue was an act of disrespect and lawlessness, and that the permanent removal from its plinth is a similar act. Hawkins added that "they knew this plan would be met with rightful objections."