The Columbus, Ohio City Council this week indefinitely tabled an ordinance to spend $253,000 on the possible reinstallation of the Christopher Columbus statue that stood outside of City Hall until the summer of 2020.
If adopted, the policy would permit the municipal Department of Development to agree to a contract with Designing Local Ltd., a planning company, to initiate a series of public meetings about whether the statue would return.
Residents of Genoa, Italy, presented the statue to the city as a gift in 1955. Mayor Andrew Ginther (D) ordered the figure’s removal in June 2020, alleging Columbus’s expeditions to the Americas were destructive and racist. The statue has been in storage since it was uninstalled at a cost of $90,000.
“For many people in our community, the statue represents patriarchy, oppression and divisiveness,” Ginther said in a statement at the time of the removal. “That does not represent our great city, and we will no longer live in the shadow of our ugly past. Now is the right time to replace this statue with artwork that demonstrates our enduring fight to end racism and celebrate the times of diversity and inclusion.”
Leftist politicians across America made similarly racialized calls for uninstalling likenesses of Columbus and other historical figures after Black Lives Matter and Antifa riots occurred in many cities two years ago.
Councilpersons did not go into detail at their meeting about why they decided to table the contract. Councilmember Nicholas Bankston (D) indicated it is unlikely the legislative body will move to put the statue in prominent public view again.
“Our intention was never to have Christopher Columbus back at City Hall or on city property,” he said.
Admirers of Columbus have been outspoken against Ginther’s action two years ago and have pushed to bring the explorer’s likeness back.
“Re-install it!” State Senator Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) tweeted.
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Bradley Vasoli is managing editor of The Ohio Star. Follow Brad on Twitter at @BVasoli. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Christopher Columbus Statue” by DrBob317. CC BY-SA 2.0.
