‘Peaceful protest’ held over ‘Forever Marilyn’ statue placement on Museum Way

Opposition to the ‘Forever Marilyn’ statue continues in Palm Springs. A peaceful protest was held Friday morning to express “community dissent to the statue on Museum Way.” 

Protesters gathered at the Marilyn statue base on Museum Way near Belardo Road, just across from the Palm Springs Art Museum. 

The protest was organized by a few different groups joining forces, including the Committee to Relocate Marilyn, the change.org/metoomarilyngroup, and the Women’s Issues Committee of the Courageous Resistance of the Desert.

Some locals argue the city is violating codes and planning zoning laws in closing Museum Way. They also argue it interferes with a 2016 downtown Palm Springs plan the community fought for.

“Museum Way was part of that plan. It was an unobstructed view from Palm Canyon Drive to the museum,” said Trina Turk, the co-founder of the Committee to Relocate Marilyn, referring to part of the 2016 plan that had designated a place for Marilyn at the downtown park. “We just don’t understand why there was this last minute switch, done in kind of an unusual way, without a lot of opportunity for public feedback,” said Turk.

Plans for the protest have gone ahead despite a judge’s ruling in favor of the statue’s placement on Museum Way earlier this month. The city has an agreement with the group PS Resorts. The group has purchased the statue and started building the foundation outside the museum. 

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on Friday’s protest.