George Bochetto — the attorney representing Italian Sons and Daughters of America in its fight to block the removal of Pittsburgh’s Columbus statue — presented legal arguments to the judges of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning.

ISDA’s legal position, in part, stems from a 1955 ordinance that permitted the statue’s construction in Schenley Park; thus, an ordinance must similarly be voted upon and passed for the bronze monument to be removed. Instead, in 2021, the Pittsburgh Art Commission voted to uproot the statue and the decision was approved by former Mayor Bill Peduto.