The Digester

A replica of the Columbus statue removed from Baltimore in 2020 has been placed on the north side of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building after being donated by Italian American organizations.

The statue is a replica of one thrown into Baltimore's Inner Harbor during 2020 protests and now sits on the White House campus.
The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations donated the statue, according to a letter from President Trump and remarks by the group's president John Pica.
The White House calls Columbus a hero and says the statue will be protected and honored for generations.
Columbus's voyages enabled European colonization and are associated with the genocide and exploitation of Indigenous peoples.
Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 led to the removal or defacement of Columbus statues and prompted some institutions to adopt Indigenous Peoples Day.
Other contested monuments have been returned or set for display, including statues of Caesar Rodney and Albert Pike.

White House installs Columbus statue on Eisenhower Executive Office Building grounds

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