Christopher Columbus statue in Baltimore toppled, rolled off harbor
The statue, which was dedicated in 1984, is among the latest of historical figures with problematic legacies linked to racism and slavery to be toppled by protesters throughout the country.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFA CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS statue lies on the ground outside the Minnesota State Capitol, after taking a forced nosedive on June 10.(photo credit: TONY WEBSTER/FLICKR)
Protesters in Baltimore tore down the famous statue of Christopher Columbus near the city's Little Italy on Saturday night as Fourth of July fireworks went off throughout the city, the Baltimore Sun reported.Happening as protesters marched across the city making various demands, such as reparations for African Americans, housing homeless people, reassessing the public schooling system and reallocating funds from the police to social services, the statue was dragged to the Inner Harbor, where it was rolled into the water.The statue, which was dedicated in 1984, is among the latest of historical figures with problematic legacies linked to racism and slavery to be toppled by protesters throughout the country.The movement began following protests that sparked after the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis by police officers. This has led to several monuments and statues around the country being toppled and vandalized, such as those of veterans of the Confederacy from the US Civil War, as well as of Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who famously helped launch the age of discovery when he sailed to the New World on behalf of Spain in 1492. The explorer's legacy is marred by racism because of his enslavement of natives from the lands he discovered.There are several Columbus memorials and statues throughout the US, including several in Baltimore. One of them, in Herring Run Park, is even believed to be the oldest in the US, the Baltimore Sun reported.Another Columbus statue, located in Richmond, Virginia, was toppled and thrown into a lake last month.In a statement, a spokesman for Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young (Democrat) said that the torn-down statue is part of a "re-examination taking place nationally and globally around some of these monuments and statues that may represent different things to different people," the Baltimore Sun reported."We understand that the dynamics that are playing out in Baltimore are part of a national narrative. We understand the frustrations. What the city wants to do is serve as a national model, particularly with how we’ve done with protesting. We’ve seen people who have taken to the streets: We have supported them. We are going to continue to support it. That’s a full stop."It is unclear if Baltimore police were told to allow the protesters to topple the statue. However, the mayor's spokesman added that protecting statues was not a priority for the city's law enforcement at this time.
