After two years, the statue of Christopher Columbus in south Philadelphia is uncovered for the first time.
According to the Washington Examiner, in a ruling Friday, Pennsylvania Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt ordered the plywood box covering Marconi Plaza’s statue to be removed.
She said the city should add a plaque explaining what is “more in line with the message it wishes to convey” if it disagrees with the statue’s “message.”
Sunday night, city crews removed the box covering the statue.
NBC Philadelphia covered the public’s reaction to the statue being uncovered:
According to the mayor’s office, it was “very disappointed in the Court’s ruling” to unbox the statue.
After George Floyd’s death in June 2020, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney ordered the statue to be removed for public safety. Courts, however, halted those plans since the city wasn’t able to prove the move was necessary to protect the public.
Kenney’s office said in response to the recent order to uncover the statue that it would “continue to explore options for a solution that will allow Philadelphians to celebrate their heritage and culture while respecting the histories and circumstances of everyone’s different backgrounds.”
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Critics claim the monument is a painful reminder of the harm Columbus caused to Indigenous people in a city with a deep Italian heritage. Supporters claim the statue pays homage to Italian American culture in a city with a rich Italian heritage.
Italian flag colors, green, white, and red, have been painted on the box since October.
The recent ruling by the judge, which ordered the removal of a plywood box covering a statue of Christopher Columbus in South Philadelphia, was an unexpected victory for those taking a stand for American patriotism. After two long years, the public can now view and appreciate this often overlooked part of American history. The idea that Christopher Columbus, who famously discovered America in 1492, is no longer to be forgotten or censored is welcomed by patriots from coast to coast. In this tense climate of divided ideologies, it is refreshing and invigorating to remember that American history should not be canceled and we can still find common ground in its fragile beauty.
