PHILADELPHIA – Statues are being demolished almost everywhere now (even in Afghanistan) but in some cases the law intervenes – where the law exists and is valid – to prevent it from happening. In fact, on Tuesday, a judge ruled that the statue of Christopher Columbus in Marconi Plaza in South Philadelphia must remain where it is, thus rejecting the decision of the City of Philadelphia to remove it. A decision Mayor Jim Kenney made to stop the continuing fighting around the statue of Columbus between opposing factions and to “find a way to allow Philadelphia to celebrate their heritage and culture, while respecting the stories and stories of others who come from different backgrounds “. 

But in a seven-page opinion, as reported by the online newspaper Fox 29 Philadelphia, judge Paula Patrick – who intervened following the lawsuit filed by Friends of Marconi Plaza – said the City had no legal basis to remove the statue. “It is disconcerting for this court to know how the city of Philadelphia wants to remove the statue without any legal basis. The whole argument and the case of the city are devoid of any legal basis,” Judge Patrick wrote. In June 2020, in the wake of the protests of the Aboriginal movements and “Black Live Matters”, the statue had become the point of contention between groups who wanted to defend it from vandalism amid the ongoing social unrest and other groups who saw the statue. as a symbol of hatred. Clashes between opposing sides had led to violence and arrests. “In recent weeks, the clashes between those who support the statue of Christopher Columbus and those who are distressed by its existence have escalated to become a worrying situation for public safety. It is a situation that cannot continue,” said the mayor, proposing the removal of the statue. to the Philadelphia Art Commission, which ultimately voted to put the statue in storage pending transfer.

Then, the sentence of Judge Patrick who “saved” Columbus, also enthusiastically welcomed by the Ctim, the Tricolor Committee for Italians in the World, also very active in the USA and Canada. “The decision of Judge Paula Patrick – comments Vincenzo Arcobelli, president of the Ctim and advisor of the CGIE, the General Council of Italians Abroad – arrived a few hours ago: the statue of Columbus can remain in its place, in Piazza Marconi! Excellent choice of strategy by the Committee of Friends of Piazza Marconi who denounced the city for the removal of the statue, as well as the proposal from the art commission to transfer the statue of Columbus to a garage. After this victory, thanks to the commitment of the lawyers and Italian Americans of the South Philadelphia area who did not give up, I hope that the other communities will take inspiration and try a similar strategy to obtain the same result. Personally and on behalf of the Ctim I thank all those who have done their utmost to achieve the objective. Hands off Columbus! “.

In the photo, the statue of Christopher Columbus in Piazza Marconi in Philadelphia (screenshot from a video from the fox29.com website of the Fox29Philadelphia news portal)