Why did the National Park Service withdraw its plan to remove the William Penn statue from Welcome Park in Philadelphia?

The National Park Service has withdrawn its proposal to permanently remove the statue of William Penn from Welcome Park in Philadelphia. The decision came after receiving a barrage of complaints, including from high-profile Democrats such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The park will still undergo rehabilitation in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The original plan was to remove the statue and redesign the park to highlight Native American history. However, the decision to remove the statue faced criticism from Republicans, who argued that it was an attempt to erase history. Welcome Park, located on the site of William Penn's home, is named after the ship that transported him from England. It is part of Independence National Historical Park and was completed in 1982 to commemorate Penn's arrival. [bdd13432]

The National Park Service's decision to withdraw the plan to remove the William Penn statue from Welcome Park in Philadelphia came after facing criticism from state GOP leaders who viewed it as an attempt to 'cancel' the founder of Pennsylvania. The federal agency stated that the goal of the renovation was to make the park more welcoming, accurate, and inclusive. The park will still undergo rehabilitation to achieve this goal. The decision to withdraw the plan followed a barrage of complaints, including from high-profile Democrats such as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The park's rehabilitation is in preparation for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. [436a2d52]