Italian-American citizens gathering in Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park to celebrate their heritage and the late explorer were greeted by signs and monuments scrawled with “Land Back” in red paint by vandals. The park has been the epicenter of the cultural battle over the continued observance of Columbus and his legacy.

The six-foot white marble statue that served as the park’s centerpiece was found decapitated during the height of the George Floyd protest movement last June, sparking a long-running debate over whether the statue should ever be reinstalled at all. More than 100 rallygoers joined Brian Patacchiola of the Italian American Alliance who spoke about cultural significance of Columbus for European immigrants.