City crews restore Andrew Jackson statue in downtown Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Andrew Jackson statue in downtown Jacksonville has a new shine to it after routine maintenance by city crews Wednesday morning.

A pair of city contractors washed and waxed the bronze metal statue. The statue had been the target of vandalism twice in recent weeks.

The Cultural Council of Great Jacksonville confirmed the statue maintenance had been scheduled for a year and was not due to vandalism. The maintenance had been delayed because of COVID-19.

The Jackson statue will be cleaned, treated to even out the oxidation, and then coated with hot wax followed by cold wax by city contractor Evergreene Architectural Arts, a Cultural Council spokesperson said.

One vandalism incident ended in the arrest of a 35-year-old man. Police said Danilo Quilaton spray-painted “slave owner” on the Andrew Jackson statue and dumped red paint over the head.

The Jackson statue was vandalized a second time the next day. Someone painted, “Remember May 28, 1830.” The date is the day President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, later to become known as the Trail of Tears.