Columbus Day, the second Monday in October, is recognized as a federal holiday and a state holiday in Arizona. The City of Phoenix, however, does not recognize Columbus Day as a holiday, but Mayor Greg Stanton did proclaim Oct 9, 2017, Indigenous Peoples' Day. Controversy over honoring the Italian explorer for his arrival to the Americas in 1492 stems from his treatment of Native American people after he arrived.

To that point, statues of Columbus, all over the country have been vandalized, and Phoenix is no exception. A bronze statue of Columbus stands outside of the Arizona American Italian Club on 12th Street and Northern in Phoenix. This morning, passersby and club members noticed the statue had been defaced. Someone poured red paint all over the statue.