The mayor of New Britain, Connecticut, vetoed Thursday the town’s common council decision to remove a Christopher Columbus statue, reported the Hartford Courant.
Council Republicans sided with Democrats in a 10-4 vote to remove the statue. Mayor Erin Stewart condemned what she called “cancel culture,” stating that taking down the monument would set a bad precedent, according to the Courant.
Christopher Columbus statue is being removed from the Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. July 24, 2020. REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski
“Where does it end?” Stewart wrote. “Are we going to examine the battlefield tactics of generals Kosciuszko or Pulaski to ensure they adhered to the social mores of today?” (RELATED: New York Will Remove Statue Of Teddy Roosevelt On Horseback From Museum Of Natural History Entrance)
Columbus statues were erected across several states by Italian-American organizations to provide a way for Italian immigrants to be accepted in American society, according to NPR.
Columbus statues were removed from Wooster Park in New Haven in June as well as from a park near the state Capitol in Hartford. Columbus statues in Middleton and New London were also removed. according to U.S. News.
A statue in Waterbury was beheaded and a $5,000 reward offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the damage, the Courant reported.
Columbus statues have been removed in other cities across the country, including Richmond, Boston, Chicago, and Miami and Philadelphia.
Stewart signaled that she might reconsider her veto if the council would provide answers as to how they plan to pay to remove it and an explanation of what they plan to replace the statue with.