Seeking the identity of any alleged “funding source” or of any persons who paid to have the Christopher Columbus statue removed from Wooster Square Park, a group of Italian-Americans have appealed their request to the state Freedom of Information Commission.

Patricia Cofrancesco, who represents the Italian-America Heritage Group of New Haven, which has sued the city over the statue’s removal, filed an appeal Wednesday, claiming her July 10 FOI request was not acknowledged within four days, which is deemed a denial of the request, according to the Freedom of Information Act. A city spokesman, however, said officials did comply with Cofrancesco’s request.