Christopher Columbus statue tossed into lake in Virginia finds new dwelling in NYC ‘burbs

A century-old statue of Christopher Columbus that was defaced and tossed right into a lake throughout protests in Virginia 4 years in the past is now standing tall in New York Metropolis’s suburbs.

The 1-ton likeness of the Italian explorer was moved to Rockland County after it was salvaged by the Sons of Italy within the Rockland city of Blauvelt, and the stately cleaned-up monument was unveiled there Sunday, News 12 Westchester reported.

“The statue represents Italian heritage and tradition and all the things that we’re happy with,” mentioned Michael Pizzi of the Order of the Sons of Italy Lodge No.2176 on the unveiling.

Fellow order member Paul Borghese advised News12 the transfer was meant to pay homage to historical past.

“As Italian-Individuals, we’re all very happy with Christopher Columbus, and we’re right here to protect the historical past of Christopher Columbus discovering and discovering America,” Borghese mentioned.

The 8-foot-tall statue, which was made in 1925, beforehand stood in Richmond, Va., however turned a part of a backlash towards controversial historic figures and was defaced by protesters in 2020.

The statue was then really lifted from its basis and thrown into Fountain Lake within the metropolis throughout the rowdy demonstration, the Raleigh News Observer reported.

It was finally recovered and restored by the Rockland group.

The transfer to resurrect the statue isn’t with out controversy.

“Columbus by no means found America,” Cliff Mathias, cultural director of the Purple Hawk Native American Arts Council, advised the outlet. “He by no means set foot within the mainland of what we name right now america, the Americas.”

In line with historians, Columbus was dispatched by the Spanish crown for his voyage and made 4 Atlantic crossings to the “New World” between 1492 and 1502.

The navigator first made landfall within the Bahamas and set foot alongside the Caribbean — however shouldn’t be believed to have ever landed on the coast of what’s now North America, historians say.

“Certainly not is Columbus somebody that this nation ought to have a good time,” Mathias mentioned “In case you go to Italy … most of them don’t give a hoot about Columbus. He’s not celebrated in Italy in any respect.”

However the explorer has lengthy been hailed as a supply of nationwide pleasure by Italian-Individuals, who see his dangerous voyage because the transfer that opened the door for the settling of the Americas by Europe.