Providence Council Member Defends Columbus Statue Vandalism - UPDATED
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
A Providence City Council member is defending the vandalism of the statue of Christopher Columbus that took place on Monday — and is saying it should be removed.
“I think the statue should be removed — I think healthy civil disobedience is really good for society,” freshman Council Member Kat Kerwin told WPRO on Wednesday.
As GoLocal reported Monday, red paint was splattered across the statue, along with the word "Genocide" at the base -- and a sign stating "Stop Celebrating Genocide" at the pedestal.
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Education blogger Erika Sanzi fired back at Kerwin in a post entitled, “Providence City Councilor is Wrong to Defend Vandalism."
“This is arrogant and dangerous talk from an elected official. First of all, she does not get to have the final word for other people on what does and does not oppress them,” wrote Sanzi.
“And secondly, vandalism and destruction of public property are not only against the law but can escalate quickly and turn dangerous. Taken to its logical conclusion, her argument could be used to justify vandalizing and destroying private property, including hers."
Statue’s Storied History
As GoLocal reported Wednesday,
The recently vandalized statue of Christopher Columbus in Providence has a legacy that may be as transient and rich as the explorer himself.
The sculpture was created by Auguste Bartholdi —the Frenchman who sculpted the Statue of Liberty.
The sculpture was cast in 1893 — by the Gorham Manufacturing Company, which had commissioned master sculptor Bartholdi.
Kerwin Responds
Kerwin sent the following statement Wednesday afternoon:
I support the vandalization of the Columbus Day statue and I hope the statue will be removed by next Columbus Day. The brave soul who vandalized the statue wrote “stop celebrating genocide”. While many are concerned by the vandalism, the reality is, it has begun a conversation that Rhode Island desperately needs to have around our willingness to celebrate the mass murder of indigenous people.
It is time Rhode Island joins the states who have listened to leaders in the Indigenous community and acted condemn Columbus for who he is—a man who stole Indigenous land, and murdered Indigenous people. Celebrating Columbus Day is celebrating colonization and I hope next year we can have a conversation around celebrating our City’s rich Italian-American culture without ignoring the dark history of genocide attached to Columbus.
Updated Wednesday 6:08 p.m.
