Christopher Columbus Statue In South Philly Has Box Removed

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia's Italian American community was delivered a victory Sunday night, as the box placed around Marconi Plaza's Christopher Columbus statue has been removed.

Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt Friday ruled against Philadelphia's appeal to remove the statue, effectively enshrining it in the South Philadelphia plaza indefinitely, signaling a win for the Friends of Marconi Plaza group.

A box surrounded the statue since 2020.

Back in 2020, civil unrest and protests over George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis Police led activists to begin targeting statues of historical figures with unsavory pasts, Columbus included.

The statue was the focal point for clashes in June 2020, as people around the country began calling for certain statues to be removed due to actions of those depicted in the statues.

Following those events — in which men armed with bats, hammers, and a few firearms gathered at the statue to protect it from potential vandalism, with one man being charged with assault, racial intimidation, and other crimes — the city sought to remove the statue.

The city's Art Commission eventually voted eight to one to store the statue in an undisclosed location, then relocate it.

Later, the statue was covered by a wooden box.

Friends of Marconi Plaza then took up the fight to keep the statue in place and removed the surrounding box.

Back in August 2021, Judge Paula Patrick ruled the statue would stay in South Philadelphia, calling the city's push to move it "baffling."

She said the Philadelphia Historical Commission did not provide enough evidence to "demolish" the statue, which Patrick said was the same as removing it based on Philadelphia code.

Attorney George Bochetto, who represents the statue's proponents, cheered the decision and said it is a win, allowing "all ethnic groups to proudly protect and honor their diverse heritages," Action News reports.

Mayor Jim Kenney's Office said it was disappointed in the ruling and stood by its stance that the statue should be moved as it is a "source of controversy in Philadelphia."

"We are continuing to review the Court’s latest ruling and are working to comply with the Court’s orders, including unboxing," a statement from the mayor's office reads. "While we will respect this decision, we will also continue to explore our options for a way forward that allows Philadelphians to celebrate their heritage and culture while respecting the histories and circumstances of everyone’s different backgrounds."