Fight Brews Over Columbus Circle Statue As NYC Studies Symbols Of Hate

COLUMBUS CIRCLE, NY — Following Mayor Bill de Blasio's announcment that a commission to examine "symbols of hate" in New York City will be created, a call to remove a a monument to Christopher Columbus has intensified.

City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced that she hopes de Blasio's commission will study a "controversial" statue of the Italian explorer that stands more than 70-feet-tall in Columbus Circle.

"When we look it history we have to look at it thoroughly and he is a controversial figure," Mark-Viverito said during a press conference this week. "I know some people may take offense to that but for many of us that come from the Caribbean islands, we see him as a controversial figure."

Update: Mayor Bill de Blasio said the commission will study the Christopher Columbus statue.

(For more news about your NYC neighborhood, subscribe to Patch to get a daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.)

Protesters will rally in Columbus Circle Friday morning to demand the removal of the statue and all other Columbus monuments in New York City, according to a Facebook event.

When asked whether the statue will be examined for removal, a City Hall spokesman told Patch: "The commission will decide."

The mayor has yet to name individuals to serve on the 90-day commission.

The fight to remove Columbus'statue will likely face strong opposition from the Italian-American community, which views Columbus as a symbol of Italian pride.

On Tuesday, State Assemblyman Ron Castorina was joined by members of the Order Sons of Italy in America to denounce calls yo remove the statue, DNAinfo reported.

"What it suggests is the memory of the Italian-Americans that contributed to building this city, the very buildings that we engage in commerce in, that government sits in," the Staten Island assemblyman said. "Those Italian immigrants built this city, and that statue is a gift from them to the city."

Photo by Charley Lhasa via Flickr/Creative Commons