US protesters tear down statue of Christopher Columbus and dump it in Baltimore harbour
5 July 2020, 10:19
Protesters in the US have torn down a statue of Christopher Columbus and thrown it in pieces into a harbour.
A group of angry demonstrators tied ropes to the statue of Christopher Columbus in the city’s Little Italy area before pulling it to the ground, breaking it.
Around 300 people had gathered to watch the statue being torn down, according to reports.
The scenes were similar to those in Bristol where protesters tore down a controversial statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader.
Baltimore, Maryland
— 𝓒𝓸𝓭𝔂 (@buzzman888) July 5, 2020
Marxist Protestors take down a statue of Christopher Columbus and tossed it in the Baltimore harbor.#Cody45🐯 pic.twitter.com/chZavLvcRw
The statue had been in place in Baltimore for over 30 years but it was torn down by demonstrators who believe it represents a racist part of America’s history.
Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott has previously said: “I support Baltimore's Italian-American community and Baltimore's indigenous community.
”I cannot, however, support Columbus."
Statues around America have been torn down including a statue honouring Confederate General Thomas ‘Stonewall’ Jackson, and in Washington, a statue of George Washington was torn down last month and set on fire.
Donald Trump said in his Fourth of July Address overnight that “we will never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, erase our history, indoctrinate our children.”
