Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is facing criticism from activists for replacing some Asian artwork donated to the city with 2028 Olympic Games flags in City Hall.
Japanese and Korean community leaders accused Bass and other Los Angeles officials of “callous” and “disrespectful” behavior – and are now demanding that the artifacts be returned to their original location in front of the mayor’s office, the Daily Breeze reports.
The relics, which were gifted to the country’s second-largest city decades ago, reportedly include a model of a turtle ship from Busan, South Korea, and a replica of a mikoshi shrine from Nagoya, Japan.
In June, Bass and the City Council approved the transfer of the antiques, which will be displayed at the Los Angeles Convention Center after their restoration.
On Thursday, local Japanese and Korean politicians held a press conference in Koreatown to complain that officials had removed their valuable items from their original location.
Both groups told reporters that the artifacts were of great significance because they were part of Korean and Japanese history, while also representing a symbol of diplomatic relations between LA and Busan and Nagoya, mynewsLA.com reports.
Amid the controversy, Bass said she also relocated the busts of former Mexican President Benito Juárez and his wife Margarita, suggesting the Korean and Japanese treasures were not subject to discrimination.
LA will host the 2028 Summer Olympics and, for the first time, the Paralympics.
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