Cuomo says he will not call for removal of Christopher Columbus statue

In the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd that has triggered anti-racism protests, a number of monuments with links to colonialism and slavery have either been defaced or pulled down.

In Richmond, Virginia a statue of Christopher Columbus was torn down by protesters, set on fire and then thrown into a lake.

But New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he will not call for removal of Christopher Columbus statue that stands at the entrance to New York City's Central Park.

Asked at his daily press briefing Thursday if it was “time for” the statue, which stands on a 27-foot column in Columbus Circle, “to go,” Cuomo that the statue signifies "an appreciation for the Italian-American contribution to New York.”

“I understand the dialogue that’s been going on for a number of years, [but] the Christopher Columbus statue in some way represents the Italian American legacy in this country and the Italian-American contribution in this country.”