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State Judge Overturns Original Columbus Statue Ruling State Judge Overturns Original Columbus Statue Ruling

By Bailee Tucker

The statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Syracuse
© 2019 Jefferson Fenner

A STATUE IN DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE CONTINUES TO COME UP IN COURT. N-C-C’S BAILEE TUCKER HAS MORE ON THE STORY

AN APPELLATE COURT IN ROCHESTER OVERTURNED THE RULING BY A LOCAL SYRACUSE JUDGE THAT THE CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE COULDN’T BE REMOVED.

THIS RULING DOESN’T GIVE THE CITY THE GREEN LIGHT TO REMOVE THE STATUE JUST YET, BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURES TO POSSIBLY DO SO.

CITY RESIDENT BRYCE RUNE SAYS THE STATUE NEEDS TO LEAVE.

“Take it down. It’s stupid, it’s pointless.”

ACCORDING TO THE UNITED STATES CAPITOL, THERE MUST BE AN OFFICIAL REQUEST MADE TO REMOVE THE STATUE.

THE JOINT COMMITEE ON THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WILL THEN HAVE TO APPROVE OR DENY THE AGREEMENT.

FOR N-C-C NEWS, I’M BAILEE TUCKER

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (N.C.C. News) — A Rochester appellate court overturned a local judge’s ruling that the Christopher Columbus statue downtown can’t be removed.

Bryce Rune , a city resident, says he’s never understood the statue’s purpose to begin with.

“I never was very comfortable with the idea that we celebrate Columbus Day as just someone who grew up near Native American reservations,” Rune says.

While many residents side with Rune on the decision, there is a whole group  fighting to keep the statue from going anywhere.

The Columbus Monument Corporation has led the charge to keep the statue with a petition, yard signs and a direct email link to Mayor Ben Walsh.

“Tearing things down does not help others to rise up,” the website says.

According to the website, the statue was commissioned in 1934 to honor Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, and gave Italian-American immigrants a sense of pride in a time where they were heavily scrutinized.

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