Chicago Blackhawks Statue Vandalized Outside United Center

CHICAGO — A statue of the Blackhawks logo was defaced outside the United Center Monday.

Photos of the statue covered in orange paint and tagged with "land back" in spray paint were posted on Twitter. A Blackhawks spokesman told the Sun-Times the statue will be temporarily removed to be repaired.

In July, the Blackhawks announced they would not change the name of the team or its logo saying the franchise celebrates the legacy of an important Native American leader, and promised to provide a platform going forward for "genuine dialogue with local and national Native American groups."

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According to the team, the name is meant to honor Black Hawk, a Native American warrior who led members of the Sauk and Fox tribes into battle against United States soldiers in the early 19th century.

Some critics say the continued use of Native imagery by sports teams, including the Blackhawks, is just a continuation of that propaganda campaign.

On Monday, a video posted on Twitter showed a United Center sign that read "We are united against racism" and panned to show a worker scrubbing paint from the statue.