City of Newark removes statue of Christopher Columbus overnight
A statue of Christopher Columbus in Newark's Washington Park was taken down overnight.
News 12 Staff
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Jun 26, 2020, 4:39 PM
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Updated 1,399 days ago
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1,101ds agoA statue of Christopher Columbus in Newark's Washington Park was taken down overnight.
In a statement, Mayor Ras Baraka says “In keeping with the movement to remove symbols of oppression and white supremacy, we have decided to remove the statue of Christopher Columbus from Washington Park."
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The mayor said that crews took it down in a safe manner to avoid the potential danger of people toppling it themselves.
Baraka also added, “The removal of this statue should not be perceived as an insult to the Italian-American community. It is a statement against the barbarism, enslavement, and oppression that this explorer represents.”
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The mayor also said the statue will be kept in storage until the city decides what to do with it.
