The city of Pittsburgh’s attempt to remove a divisive statue of Christopher Columbus from a city park has hit another roadblock. A Pennsylvania appeals court has ruled in favor of an Italian heritage group that challenged the city’s decision.
The Legal Battle
The Italian Sons and Daughters of America filed a lawsuit in 2020 after the Pittsburgh Art Commission voted to take down the statue that had stood in the city’s Schenley Park since 1955. Mayor Bill Peduto also supported its removal.
The group argued that the statue was protected by a city council ordinance that authorized its installation. City lawyers maintained that the ordinance was more like a resolution accepting a gift, which could be rescinded without further council action.
Appeal Court Ruling
The Commonwealth Court sent the case back to the Allegheny County Common Pleas Court for further consideration. The court ruled that the lower court made an error in dismissing the group’s claims regarding city charter, code, and ordinance violations.
The appellate court also rejected the group’s challenge to the trial judge’s refusal to remove himself from the case.
Calls for Resolution
George Bochetto, the attorney representing the Italian heritage group, welcomed the court’s decision and urged the new mayor to work towards a resolution without further legal battles.
National Controversy
The debate over Columbus statues has sparked controversy across the nation. Supporters of removing the statues argue that Columbus’s legacy as an explorer is tainted by his enslavement of Indigenous people.
In Philadelphia, another city with a strong Italian heritage, a Columbus statue was briefly removed in 2020 but was later restored after a judge’s order. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that a group supporting the statue filed suit last year, alleging conspiracy and abuse of legal process in efforts to remove it.
Other cities have also seen Columbus statues vandalized or removed:
- Wilmington, Delaware
- Camden, New Jersey
- Richmond, Virginia
- Columbia, South Carolina
- Boston, Massachusetts
Data sourced from: foxnews.com
