CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Ahead of Columbus Day, Italian Americans on Sunday met at Arrigo Park in Chicago's Little Italy where a statue of Christopher Columbus once stood, to demand its return.
The statue was one of many removed around Chicago earlier this year and was said to only be a temporary solution to calm protests at the time.
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Now that the holiday is today, Oct. 12, Italian Americans who met at the gathering said they want to be a part of the discussion to define just what temporary means.
In addition to removing the statue, the city also has canceled its parade honoring the Italian explorer and no longer celebrate the holiday in schools.
Ron Onesti, vice president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, told local media the statues are part of Chicago history, and Italian American history.
"There are more Italian Americans in Cook County than any other county in the country, second to New York," he said about the holiday's importance in Chicago.
Before the holiday, the committee delivered a letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot's office requesting the return of the removed statues. Lightfoot said she is working with the Italian-American community on a resolution.
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"[We] will make a range of recommendations, not just on a single statue, but on ways in which we can bet do a better job, reflecting Chicago's history," Lightfoot said earlier this week.
WBBM's Brandon Ison has more.