Syracuse, N.Y. -- The statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Syracuse must stay where it is, a judge ruled today. State Supreme Court Judge Gerard Neri ordered Syracuse and Mayor Ben Walsh not to remove the statue as Walsh had planned.
The Columbus Monument Corp. and other supporters of the statue sued in May, hoping to stop the city from removing the statue in response to criticisms that Columbus contributed to slavery and oppression. Neri agreed with the group’s argument that Walsh does not have the legal authority to remove the statue.
The city has “no legal right to alter the piece of art known as the Christopher Columbus Monument or remove same or any part of it from its present place on St. Mary’s Circle, commonly known as Columbus Circle, in the city of Syracuse,’' Neri wrote.
On Oct. 9, 2020, Walsh announced he planned to remove the Columbus statue from the circle and redevelop the site into a heritage site that honored Italian-Americans as well as the contributions of Native Americans and other traditionally marginalized groups. That came after months of deliberation by a committee he appointed to discuss the issue.
The statue was erected in 1934, paid for mostly by Italian-American immigrants and given to the city. Many Italian-Americans at the time had been subjected to persecution and the statue was a point of pride among the community.
More recently, however, it’s come under scrutiny as the legacy of Christopher Columbus has been dissected. Some Native American groups and others have called for its removal citing Columbus’ role in enslaving indigenous populations upon his arrival in the Americas.
Neri’s decision relied in part on a covenant the city made with a precursor of the Columbus Monument group in 1990, when a $505,000 renovation of the monument was undertaken. In accepting $167,500 in private donations to help pay for the work, the city agreed to maintain the statue for 23 years or for its “useful life.” Neri ruled the statue has plenty of useful life remaining.
Walsh exceeded his authority by deciding to remove the statue without approval from the Common Council, the judge ruled. Neri also said Walsh is required to maintain the statue by the city charter, which obligates city officials to “prevent waste and injury to any (city) property.’'
Walsh said the city will appeal Neri’s decision.
“The City of Syracuse will appeal the decision and looks forward to presenting its position to the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division,” the mayor said in a prepared statement.
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