Photo: SETH HERALD / AFP / Getty Images
President Donald Trump has called for the Christopher Columbus statue to be returned to its original place in front of Columbus, Ohio's City Hall. He made this request during a White House event ahead of Columbus Day, according to NBC4. The statue was removed in 2020 by Mayor Andrew Ginther amid protests over racial injustice.
The statue, a gift from Genoa, Italy, in 1955, has been in storage since its removal. Italian-American groups filed a lawsuit against the city earlier this year, claiming the removal was discriminatory and illegal. "We demand that Christopher Columbus be put back into the heart of Columbus, Ohio," Trump said.
Mayor Ginther responded by emphasizing different priorities. "The president and I clearly have different priorities," he said. "The president should stop trying to divide our country and focus on ending a senseless war, tariffs, and high prices on gas and everyday goods."
The lawsuit, filed by several Italian-American organizations, argues that the removal violated their rights. The city’s Reimagining Columbus project has proposed new plans for the statue, but no final decisions have been made.
The case is currently pending in court, and the city has refrained from further comments due to the ongoing litigation. The future of the statue remains uncertain as the legal process unfolds.