San Francisco to Remove 19th Century Statue Some Call Racist
AP, September 13, 2017
A San Francisco board has voted unanimously to remove a 19th century statue that activists say is racist and demeaning to indigenous people.
[The statue] depicts a Native American at the feet of a Spanish cowboy and a Catholic missionary. It is part of a group of statues near City Hall that depict the founding of California.
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Native American activists have tried to have the statue removed for decades. They renewed efforts last year after clashes broke out over Confederate monuments.
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After it is removed from public viewing, the statue will be restored and put in storage until officials decide what to do with it, Patterson said.
Several entities, including a museum in California, have expressed interest in housing it, she added.
In April, {snip} appeals board member Rick Swig called the statue “horrible” but said removing it from public view would squash free speech.
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Earlier this year, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to end the Columbus Day holiday and celebrate indigenous people and Italian Americans on the second Monday of October.
Board members said Native people suffered greatly after explorer Christopher Columbus arrived.
