Two statues of Christopher Columbus ‘temporarily’ removed in Chicago

Two statues of Christopher Columbus ‘temporarily’ removed in Chicago
ct-logan-square-blm-protest

Two statues of Christopher Columbus have been “temporarily” removed in Chicago.

A statue of the Italian explorer in Chicago’s Grant Park was taken down early on Friday, a week after protesters trying to topple the monument clashed with police.

Crews used a large crane to remove the statue from its pedestal as a small crowd gathered to watch.

A crane removes the Christopher Columbus statue (Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times/AP)

Hours later, a second statue of Columbus was also removed from Arrigo Park in Chicago’s Little Italy neighbourhood.

The statues’ removal come amid a plan by President Donald Trump to dispatch federal law enforcement agents to the city to respond to gun violence.

In a statement issued after the statues were taken down, the office of Democratic mayor Lori Lightfoot said they were being “temporarily removed … until further notice”.

It said the removals were “in response to demonstrations that became unsafe for both protesters and police, as well as efforts by individuals to independently pull the Grant Park statue down in an extremely dangerous manner”.

“This step is about an effort to protect public safety and to preserve a safe space for an inclusive and democratic public dialogue about our city’s symbols”, the mayor’s office said in the statement, which said the statues were removed following “consultation with various stakeholders”.

More in this section

Case against Cork farmer accused of assaulting two sons in dispute over land dropped by DPP Case against Cork farmer accused of assaulting two sons in dispute over land dropped by DPP
Learner Drivers 'Long-term plan' needed to address driving test wait times, says Cork senator 
West Ham United v Manchester United - Premier League - London Stadium Premier League: VAR errors at least hit everyone

Sponsored Content

Digital advertising in focus at Irish Examiner’s Lunch & Learn event  Digital advertising in focus at Irish Examiner’s Lunch & Learn event 
Experience a burst of culture with Cork Midsummer Festival  Experience a burst of culture with Cork Midsummer Festival 
How to get involved in Bike Week 2025 How to get involved in Bike Week 2025
Us Cookie Policy and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited

Add Echolive.ie to your home screen - easy access to Cork news, views, sport and more