Boston’s Acting Mayor Kim Janey sparked howls of anger when she unilaterally whacked Columbus Day, replacing it with the politically correct “Indigenous Peoples’ Day.” Janey made the sweeping change via an executive order signed in front of members of the indigenous community, rather than taking it through the city council’s democratic process, Boston media sources report.

In Boston’s North End, long an Italian-American community, local residents view Columbus Day as more than just a long weekend. For them, Columbus Day is an opportunity to celebrate their heritage and history in the U.S. The National Christopher Columbus Association, based in Washington, D.C., called it “a disturbing development in Boston. An executive order by the acting mayor without any public comment.”