by Scott Wise

The statue of Christopher Columbus erected where Boulevard hits Byrd Park in Richmond was vandalized on Columbus Day. A message left with the Richmond Department of Public Works about the Columbus statue vandalism has not yet been returned. Monday was Columbus Day and the words "lies" and "genocide" painted on the Columbus statue come at a time when some cities and schools choose not to honor Columbus, but rather the people he encountered in the New World and their descendants.

More jurisdictions this year are recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous People's Day, building on efforts to shift the holiday's focus away from the Italian explorer. The shift is part of broader attempts to clarify the Italian explorer's role in American history and connect indigenous culture to something other than sports teams, Halloween costumes and pop culture appropriation.

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Source: http://wtvr.com/