New Haven and Hartford became the latest Connecticut cities Monday to say they would remove statues honoring Christopher Columbus from public property. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement released by his office Monday evening that a Columbus statue near the state Capitol would be “removed from city property.”

“When the statue of Columbus was erected in Hartford a hundred years ago, it was meant to symbolize the fact that Italian Americans, who had faced intense discrimination, had a place in the American story. But surely we can find a better way to honor the immense contributions of the Italian American community in our country and in our community,” Bronin said. “I’ll also be working with our Italian American community in Hartford and throughout the region to find an appropriate way to honor their incredibly important place in Hartford’s and our nation’s history.”