Fresno State Places Box Over Cesar Chavez Statue as Fallout From Abuse Allegations Grows

Fresno State has fully enclosed its Cesar Chavez statue in a wooden box, a striking visual signal of how quickly the iconic labor leader's legacy is unraveling following a bombshell New York Times report detailing decades of alleged sexual abuse.

The statue was first draped in a black sheet Wednesday, but by Thursday morning crews had gone further, building a wooden enclosure that completely hides the monument from view. The statue has stood on campus for 30 years.

The move comes after the Times published an investigative report alleging Chavez abused and molested multiple women over the course of decades, including some underage girls. Among the alleged victims is Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union alongside Chavez. Huerta said in a statement she had two sexual encounters with Chavez, one against her will and one where she said she felt pressured, both resulting in pregnancies. The Times says it interviewed more than 60 people and used union records, emails, and other documents to support the accounts.

Chavez died in 1993. The Chavez family called the allegations "deeply painful" but said they "honor the voices of those who feel unheard." The Cesar Chavez Foundation says it is working with farmworker movement leaders to respond to the allegations and support those who may have been harmed.

Fresno State has not yet announced what the long-term fate of the statue will be.