Madison statues recovered after being torn down overnight

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Both statues torn down during demonstrations Tuesday night in downtown Madison have been recovered, according to Alder Mike Verveer.

Verveer told NBC15 News both the Forward statue and the statue of Hans Christian Heg were recovered by city workers early Wednesday morning. Verveer said the Forward statue was dragged about a block down State Street and was recovered near the Overture Center. The Heg statue was dragged down King Street and eventually dumped in to Lake Monona. Police called in a heavy duty tow truck to lift the statue out of the water.

Both statues are currently in safekeeping in a city facility. Verveer didn’t say where exactly, but did say the statues belong to the state.

The exact conditions of the statues is unknown at this time, but Verveer said the Heg statue sustained some serious damage. The head of the statue was cut off and it was also missing a leg or a portion of a leg. Verveer is unsure if the head and leg have been recovered.