A photo of the U.S.-Israel War Machine puppet art piece on display at the Chicago Cultural Center. [Ald. Debra Silverstein's office]

The City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation on Tuesday held a contentious hearing about a controversial art piece on display at the Chicago Cultural Center that more than half of the council have deemed antisemitic. 

The hearing was an attempt to learn about, and possibly improve, the process for vetting potentially controversial artwork that will be put on public display and improve the process for responding when a marginalized group finds offense in artwork. But it more prominently featured invective from alderpeople, an unruly public gallery and one ejection.