The Christopher Columbus statue in Columbus Park on Niagara Street in Buffalo was removed Friday morning.
The statue was removed at the request of the Federation of Italian-American Societies of Western New York.
They say it was done “as a proactive measure” and “the decision to remove the monument is in keeping with our community’s tradition of cultural unity through diversity.”
The Federation is asking for five things from Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.
- Restore ownership of the statue to the Federation
- Relocate the statue to a location chosen by the Federation (possibly a private, museum-like location that is yet to be determined)
- Rename Columbus Park in honor of Italian Heritage
- A proclamation from the city to celebrate October as Italian Heritage Month and designate the second Monday in October as Italian Heritage Day
- Erect a different statue in the park honoring Italian immigrants
A news conference addressing the removal of the statue was held Friday morning.
Spectrum News will update this story with more information shortly.