"The statue has been returned to the city, and is being safely stored in a secure location," city spokesman Beau Tidwell told the publication.
Protesters knocked the bust of McDonogh off of its pedestal in Duncan Plaza last Saturday, then hauled it to the river near Jax Brewery and rolled it in.
In the 19th Century, McDonogh made his fortune in shipping and real estate. He also owned slaves.
Upon his death, he willed millions of dollars to the cities of Baltimore and New Orleans to build public schools. That is why many New Orleans public schools bear the McDonogh name.