PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Just in time for Columbus Day in Philadelphia, the box that encloses the Christopher Columbus statue in Marconi Plaza has a fresh coat of green, white and red paint.
City officials say they spruced up the box at the request of district Councilman Mark Squilla.
The statue was a source of controversy during racial justice protests two years ago, prompting city officials to announce the statue would be removed from the public park. That, in turn, triggered three lawsuits by citizen groups seeking to keep the statue in place.
The statue has been enclosed while Commonwealth Court considers the matter.
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Columbus was long-revered by Italian Americans as a symbol of their heritage, but his once-heroic status has been overtaken by a more thorough understanding of his record of abusing and enslaving people living in the territory he is credited with “discovering.”
Philadelphia has tried to reframe the annual celebration. It has renamed Monday’s holiday as “Indigenous Peoples Day” and the parade on Sunday is now called the Italian Heritage Parade.
City Council passed a resolution on Thursday declaring next week “Italian Heritage Week.”