Columbus, Ohio Removes Christopher Columbus Statue Outside of City Hall

Columbus, Ohio, named after the famed explorer, has removed a statue of Christopher Columbus that stood outside the City Hall.

The statue was removed by a few different crews during the early morning hours on Wednesday. The announcement that the statue would be removed came last month from the city’s Democrat Mayor, Andrew J. Ginther.

“For many people in our community, the statue represents patriarchy, oppression and divisiveness. That does not represent our great city, and we will no longer live in the shadow of our ugly past,” Ginther said at the time.

Ginther’s statement of the removal also mentioned a replacement, saying it should feature “diversity and inclusion.”

“Now is the right time to replace this statue with artwork that demonstrates our enduring fight to end racism and celebrate the themes of diversity and inclusion.”

Last month, the bronze Columbus statue, which was given as a gift from the people of Genoa, Italy, in 1955, was targeted and the word “rapist” was spray-painted on the statue.

An online petition, which calls for Columbus to be renamed “Flavortown,” has gained the attention of several within the state and has garnered nearly 120,000 signatures.

“Why not rename the city Flavortown,” the petition asked. “The new name is twofold. For one, it honors Central Ohio’s proud heritage as a culinary crossroads and one of the nation’s largest test markets for the food industry. Secondly, cheflebrity Guy Fieri was born in Columbus, so naming the city in honor of him (he’s such a good dude, really) would be superior to its current nomenclature.”