A Democratic city councilor from Providence, Rhode Island said recent vandalism of a Christopher Columbus statue is a good thing.
Councilwoman Katherine Kerwin told a local radio station Wednesday that covering the statue in the Elmwood neighborhood with red paint was “healthy civil disobedience.” Her comments come after Columbus statues were defiled on the explorer’s national holiday in San Francisco and Chula Vista, California. (RELATED: The Cities And States That Jettisoned Christopher Columbus)
“I think the statue should be removed … I think that healthy civil disobedience is really good for society,” Kerwin told WPRO radio Wednesday. “I don’t know who did it, but they created a really healthy dialogue in Providence.”
In a tweet on Columbus Day, she said, “We live on stolen land. Celebrating Columbus is celebrating colonization.”
1️⃣We live on stolen land 2️⃣Celebrating Columbus is celebrating colonization #bye
— Kat Kerwin (@KatKerwinPVD) October 14, 2019
Providence Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza also said Tuesday he would consider measures to have the statue moved to another neighborhood, as reported by the Associated Press.
Over 100 cities and states no longer recognize Christopher Columbus Day as a national holiday. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared the holiday would be renamed to “Indigenous People’s Day.” (RELATED: While DC Struggles With Homicides, It Votes To Rename Columbus Day)
“Instead of commemorating conquest today, we recognize resilience,” he said.