New Haven's Columbus statue, installed in 1892 by Connecticut's Italian American community, was removed in 2020 by jittery civic leaders who rushed to dismantle historic monuments in a misguided effort to project inclusivity. Such decisions could be overturned as the Italian-American Defense League pursues a landmark ruling through a federal appeal. A GoFundMe was launched to support legal effort. 

The Italian-American Defense League (IADL) — a COPOMIAO affiliate organization — has filed an appeal in federal court, challenging the City of New Haven, CT, and its mayor, Justin Elicker, over the controversial removal of the Christopher Columbus statue. 

Central to the appeal are concerns over Mayor Elicker's closed-door meetings, the absence of meeting notes, and the lack of an official vote to remove the statue from its pedestal in June 2020. The voices of Italian Americans were disregarded, their history sidelined, and the wishes of their ancestors ignored. 

The appeal argues that the mayor’s actions violated federal law, including historic preservation acts and due process protections. A favorable ruling could set new case law, shaping the future of monument preservation efforts. 

100% of donations will support this critical lawsuit, led by New Haven attorney and litigator Norman Pattis, IADL President Matthew Guarnieri, and Plaintiff Ralph Marcarelli. 

COPOMIAO members and followers are encouraged to share and support the IADL GoFundMe campaign to help preserve Italian American monuments in our parks and cities