As Christopher Columbus statues across the country are torn down and vandalized, an Italian heritage group is asking the town of Kearny to protect a Columbus monument there. UNICO, an organization that promotes Italian ancestry and culture, sent a letter dated July 2 to Kearny Mayor Al Santos and the Town Council asking the city to spray a “protective film” on the statue to shield it from vandalism “during these uncertain times.”

“In the event the statue is vandalized by painted graffiti, the graffiti could easily be washed off and the statue re-coated,” the letter, which is signed by the Kearny chapter of the organization’s president and former president, reads. UNICO officials could not be reached for comment. The request comes as two dueling Change.org petitions over the statue’s fate circulate on social media.