Wilkes-Barre council weighs in on removal of Columbus statue after it was vandalized again
Wilkes-Barre city council members weighed in Monday on whether a monument honoring Christopher Columbus should be removed from Public Square after it was vandalized for the second time in three days. Council members who responded to inquiries were split on whether the 10,000-pound, 7-foot-tall monument should be removed, as requested in an online p...
Jersey City's Oldest Italian Festival Cancelled for First Time in 117 Years
La Festa Italiana, Jersey City’s oldest Italian festival, has been canceled for the first time in its more than 117-year history. “Due to the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the current pandemic and out of concern for the safety and well-being of our volunteers, visitors, vendors, entertainers, etc… we have, with deep regret, made the diffi...
UNICO, Others Clean Vandalized Columbus Statue, Mayor Vows To Find, Prosecute Those Responsible
In what the president of UNICO called “lowlife cowardly acts,” vandals in Garfield defaced a Christopher Columbus statue and damaged a local elementary school named for the Italian explorer. Police were actively pursuing leads in finding those responsible for what Mayor Richard Rigoglioso called “hateful and disrespectful” acts, and said they’d be...
Keep the Christopher Columbus monument in West Orange for generations to come
Sign to KEEP same sanctity to the town we love. Shared from my former teacher at Seton Hall Prep for the incredibly ignorant trash on this page. For the first time EVER I am EMBARRASSED for West Orange. Reposting from Anthony Lupica: Che disgrazia! What a disgrace to have destroyed and defaced the statuary of Cristopher Columbus! Those responsible...
St. Ann Festa Canceled for 2020
The annual St. Ann Festa has officially been canceled for 2020. Originally, the event had been moved from June 10 through June 13, to Aug. 26 through Aug. 29. The Italian festival usually features rides, carnival games, homemade food including the famous Pizzelle and much more. “We thought we would have a better picture of the pandemic,” said Jim W...
West Orange will remove Christopher Columbus monument, a ‘symbol of hate and oppression’
Leaders of the Confederacy. Slave traders. Forces of imperialism. All have fallen in the United States and beyond, their statues toppled during protests against racism. Christopher Columbus is not safe. Protesters in various cities have torn down, destroyed and defaced statues of the explorer. In West Orange, signs that say “Murderer” and “This is...
Philadelphia mayor criticizes group ‘protecting’ Columbus statue
A group of people gathered around a statue of Christopher Columbus in south Philadelphia over the weekend, saying they intended to protect it from vandals amid the recent protests — despite criticism from the mayor. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that about 100 people clustered around the statue of the explorer at Marconi Plaza on Saturday, at l...
South Philly residents surround Columbus statue as demonstrations unfold across the city
Joe Laino, 71, stood near the Christopher Columbus statue in South Philadelphia’s Marconi Plaza on Saturday while leaning on a baseball bat. A woman nearby held up a sign saying “Stand Up, South Philly Won’t Stand Down." And another man, who declined to give his name, stood close to the statue while holding a rifle — one of at least two men in th...
Announcing the Creation of the Pino Cicala Archives and Virtual Collection at Casa Italiana
Pino Cicala would have been 93 years old today, June 12, 2020. His passing three years ago left a void in our Italian American community. To keep his legacy alive, we announce today that Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center, Inc. (CISC), will name its archives and virtual collection in memory of Pino Cicala. The Pino Cicala Archives and Virtual Colle...
Wilmington’s statues of Columbus and Caesar Rodney coming down — at least for now
Wilmington officials are removing two of the city’s most iconic statues – of Declaration of Independence signer Caesar Rodney and explorer Christopher Columbus – to prevent them from potential damage, and to foster what Mayor Mike Purzycki called “an overdue discussion about the public display of historical figures and events.” Columbus came down o...
Christopher Columbus Statue In Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park Vandalized
A statue of Christopher Columbus in Schenley Park has been vandalized. The statue was sprayed with red paint and multiple phrases including “Murder.” It comes as other local statues like the Doughboy in Lawrenceville and the Mario Lemieux statue at PPG Paints Arena have been desecrated. Columbus statues have now attracted attention nationwide, as s...
Camden Removes Christopher Columbus Statue From Farnham Park, Angering Some Protesters Ahead Of Planned March
Camden city officials removed the Christopher Columbus statue from Farnham Park, angering protesters who planned a large march at the park this weekend. As city workers dismantled the statue, members of the community stepped in, angry this was being done ahead of their peaceful march. The Italian explorer has long been associated in history textboo...