#Philadelphia seeks to remove Columbus statue amid violent clashes

Enlarge Image

City workers cover the statue of Christopher Columbus at Marconi Plaza, Philadelphia.
Matt Slocum/AP

Philadelphia will seek to remove a Christopher Columbus statue in a municipal park amid ongoing unrest between armed groups and protesters, city officials said.

Mayor Jim Kenney announced Wednesday the city will seek approval from the Philadelphia Art Commission to take down the statue from Marconi Plaza on South Broad Street on July 22.

“Part of reckoning with the legacy of systemic racism means reconsidering what figures deserve to be commemorated in our public spaces,” Kenney tweeted along with a statement from city officials on the proposed removal.

The statue, which has been reportedly boxed up since last week, has been the site of “clashes” between supporters and others who are “distressed by its existence” in the aftermath of George Floyd’s police-custody death and subsequent national protests against racial injustice.

“It is a situation that cannot be allowed to continue,” Wednesday’s statement continued. “The City is committed to finding a way forward that allows Philadelphians to celebrate their heritage and culture, while respecting the histories and circumstances of others that come from different backgrounds.”

Residents can submit their take on proposed removal in writing ahead of the July 22 meeting or share their opinion during the city’s presentation to the Art Commission, city officials said.

The announcement came less than 24 hours after a group of armed white South Philadelphians brawled with protesters supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

Four people were arrested in Tuesday’s incident, including a man charged after he was caught on video punching a black photographer in the jaw while hurling racial slurs, the newspaper reports.

John Mooney, 58, was charged with ethnic intimidation, simple assault and other charges for allegedly assaulting photographer Mel D. Cole. Police did not immediately identify the other people arrested, the Inquirer reports.

At least three people, including Mooney, have reportedly been charged with assault in incidents at Marconi Plaza this month.

A spokesperson for the mayor, meanwhile, said the move is intended to tamp down tension in the city.

“The mayor respects the liberties of people with opposing viewpoints to assemble and exercise their First Amendment rights,” the spokesperson told the Inquirer.