COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The first city in the United States named for Christopher Columbus has removed a statue of the explorer and placed it in storage.
Columbia, South Carolina’s mayor said the statue had been vandalized several times this week and he decided to put it up for safekeeping Friday before it was destroyed.
Benjamin says the Columbus statue will be stored until citizens, the Columbia City Council and other officials can have a comprehensive discussion what to do next.
Statues of Columbus, who came to North America in 1492, have been torn down by protesters in other cities who say his exploration led to the exploitation and deaths of millions of people.
