Richmond, VA-AP (WBAP/KLIF) – In downtown Richmond, Virginia Tuesday night, a Christopher Columbus statue was torn down by protesters.
The statue was set on fire and then submerged into a lake. News outlets report the figure was toppled less than two hours after protesters gathered in the city’s Byrd Park Tuesday chanting for the statue to be taken down.
The figure was removed from its pedestal around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday by protesters using several ropes. A sign that reads, “Columbus represents genocide” has been placed on the spray-painted foundation that once held the statue.
Christopher Columbus Statue is in Fountain Lake, Byrd Park, Richmond, Virginia https://t.co/jvtRS0NjrN pic.twitter.com/EbyVXjS6ri
— Rad_Meg_DC (@megdcrad) June 10, 2020
The incident happened following what’s being reported as a peaceful demonstration outside of the statue in honor of indigenous people.