A statue of Christopher Columbus in Schenley Park has been vandalized. The statue was sprayed with red paint and multiple phrases including “Murder.” It comes as other local statues like the Doughboy in Lawrenceville and the Mario Lemieux statue at PPG Paints Arena have been desecrated.

Columbus statues have now attracted attention nationwide, as some protesters in other cities have taken action into their own hands to remove or destroy statues of the Italian explorer. For many Italian Americans, says Guy Costa, Christopher Columbus has been a powerful symbol. Costa, who has chaired Columbus Day Parades in Pittsburgh, says his grandparents came here from Italy.