A New York City suburb became the new home for a Christopher Columbus statue that was formerly defaced, pulled down and submerged in water during a 2020 protest.
A Christopher Columbus at the center of a tumultuous 2020 protest recently found a new home in a New York City suburb – and this time, it’s embraced by some of the locals.
“We’re all very proud of Christopher Columbus, and we’re here to preserve the history of Christopher Columbus finding and discovering America,” Paul Borghese of the Order of the Sons of Italy Lodge No.2176, told News12 in Long Island.
Michael Pizzi, another member of the order, told the outlet that the figure “represents Italian heritage and culture and everything that we’re proud of.”
The 8-foot tall bronze likeness of the historically significant Italian explorer was formerly housed at the entrance of Byrd Park in Richmond, Virginia, until being uprooted by protesters in light of George Floyd’s 2020 death, according to reports.
In images from the tumultuous summer, protesters are seen marching near the statue, holding signs that called for removal of imagery that recognizes colonizers to pay respect to indigenous communities.
Other reports and images show the statue on the ground after being pulled down from its pedestal with ropes, defaced with spray paint and lit on fire.
The protesters then dragged the statue to a nearby pond and submerged it in water.
The nearly 100-year-old homage to Columbus was later retrieved and restored before eventually being shipped to its new home in the Empire State.
It’s now housed at the Rockland Sons of Italy Lodge in the hamlet of Blauvelt, located approximately 20 miles northwest of New York City.
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But, while some are happy to see the statue housed in its new location, others argue honoring Columbus is unethical or even pointless.
Cliff Mathias, cultural director of the Red Hawk Native American Arts Council, told News12 that “Columbus never discovered America,” elaborating by saying he never stepped foot on the continent of what is now considered the United States.
“By no means is Columbus someone that this country should celebrate,” Mathias continued, adding, “If you go to Italy… most of them don’t give a hoot about Columbus. He’s not celebrated in Italy at all.”
Columbus is commonly credited with discovering the “New World” after journeying across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain to find a direct route from Europe to Asia without traveling around the massive African continent, inadvertently bridging the divide between Europe and what would eventually become North and South America.
Columbus’ ships – the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria – most likely landed on San Salvador, one of the Bahamian islands, before moving to different locations in search of valuable resources, according to History.
The controversial part of his history, however, revolves around enslavement and colonization.
In recent years, the Columbus Day holiday has also come under heightened scrutiny, with many opting to honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead.
