A Thomas Jefferson statue was torn down at a Portland high school following a night of protests, numerous sources reported.
A Black Lives Matter rally was held on the steps of Jefferson High School early Sunday evening, where organizers spoke in front of the statue that was found with the base spray painted with “Slave Owner,” KOIN reported.
Viewer video shows the moment the Thomas Jefferson statue was toppled over in Portland. #Portland #pdx #breakingnews @fox12oregon pic.twitter.com/Upnt7i1AQx
— Bonnie Silkman KPTV (@BonnieSilkman) June 15, 2020
The statue was found lying on the ground near the school’s track after the protest had moved toward Alberta Park. According to KOIN, it’s unclear who is responsible for vandalizing the statue and if they were affiliated with the protest earlier that day.
A look at the statue of Thomas Jefferson that was toppled at Jefferson High School in Portland #LiveOnK2 pic.twitter.com/Zq4Hq2sFcl
— Evan Bell (@evanbellKATU) June 15, 2020
Protesters gathered at Jefferson High School because the neighborhood it’s in has experienced high levels of gentrification, according to KATU.
Statues of historical figures have been vandalized and torn down across the country, including Christopher Columbus statues in Miami, Richmond, and Boston. In Miami, seven people were arrested for vandalizing Christopher Columbus and Juan Ponce de León statues. In Richmond, Virginia, the statue was torn down, and in Boston, the statue was found beheaded. (RELATED: 7 Arrested In Miami For Vandalizing Christopher Columbus Statue, Spraying Communist Symbol)
The Thomas Jefferson statue in Portland was the third to be taken down in Oregon, after two historic pioneer statues were torn down on the University of Oregon’s campus, according to KATU.