An Italian American organization is suing the Chicago Park District to restore the Christopher Columbus statue removed from Little Italy after protests last year. The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA) want city officials to reinstall the statue at Arrigo Park, which dated back to 1966 before it was taken down.

The Columbus statues at Grant Park and Arrigo Park were removed July 24, 2020, hours after an abrupt decision from Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The Grant Park monument had been the site of high-profile protests — including one the week prior in which police and protesters violently clashed, injuring dozens of protesters and officers. At that protest, people scaled the statue, threw ropes around it and tried to pull it down.