Outgoing mayor seeks landmark designation for explorer’s monuments before leaving office as 2020 photo resurfaces showing candidate giving middle finger to Astoria statue
New York Mayor Eric Adams is moving to secure landmark protection for two Christopher Columbus statues before leaving office, in a pre-emptive strike against mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani, who has called for the monuments to be removed.
Adams announced on Tuesday he would submit applications to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to designate the statues at Columbus Circle in Manhattan and Columbus Square in Astoria as official city landmarks. The move would make it nearly impossible for a future administration to alter or dismantle them without facing legal challenges.
The decision follows the resurfacing of a controversial 2020 social media post showing Mr Mamdani, now the Democratic nominee for mayor, giving the middle finger to the Columbus statue in Astoria with the caption “Take it down”. The image, posted during nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death, has sparked fury within New York’s Italian American community.
‘We Celebrate All Our Diverse Communities’
Mayor Adams, who has dropped his re-election bid and will step down at the end of the year, defended his decision to protect the statues as a celebration of the city’s Italian American heritage.
He stated that the beauty of New York City lies in celebrating and respecting all diverse communities and cultural heritage. As mayor of a city with one of the largest Italian populations in the world, he expressed pride in celebrating Italian American heritage every day.
First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, who described himself as a proud Italian American, confirmed the applications for historical status would be presented to the Landmarks Preservation Commission before Adams leaves office. He emphasised the statues represent a historical legacy that is undeniable and important to Italian heritage.
Mr Mastro acknowledged the move was a response to Mr Mamdani’s stated intentions regarding the monuments. The landmark designation would effectively prevent the statues from being legally altered or destroyed.
Italian American Community Responds
The Columbus Heritage Coalition, a prominent Italian American organisation, has condemned Mr Mamdani’s 2020 post as deeply disrespectful. Angelo Vivolo, the coalition’s president and former head of the Columbus Citizens Foundation which organises the city’s Columbus Day Parade, vowed not to support the mayoral candidate.
Mr Vivolo stated Mr Mamdani was being disrespectful to the Italian American community, warning that offending one community offends all communities. He expressed doubt that Mr Mamdani would be mayor for all the people of New York City.
Joseph Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum, criticised Mr Mamdani’s stance as exclusionary rather than inclusive. He questioned who decides which figures are heroes, declaring Columbus remains a hero to the Italian American community.
Italian Americans comprise approximately eight per cent of New York City’s population. Mr Scelsa suggested eliminating such a large demographic from the conversation would constitute a travesty.
Columbus Circle Already Protected
The Columbus Circle statue, erected in 1896, already enjoys federal and state historic landmark status, granted in 2018 with support from then-Governor Andrew Cuomo. Mr Cuomo, who lost the Democratic mayoral primary to Mr Mamdani, is now running as an independent candidate in November’s general election.
However, the Columbus statue in Astoria Square, unveiled in 1941, currently has no such legal safeguards. This monument represents the primary target of the Adams administration’s landmark application efforts.
The Columbus Heritage Coalition submitted the applications for landmark protection, according to its president Mr Vivolo. The designation process requires a public hearing before the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
Cultural Battleground
The debate over Columbus statues has become emblematic of broader cultural divisions in American cities. Critics condemn the 15th-century Italian explorer as a figure representing white supremacy and the oppression of Indigenous peoples, citing the brutal consequences of European colonisation in the Americas.
Supporters, meanwhile, view the statues as important symbols of Italian American heritage and immigration history. They argue Columbus represents the courage and vision of millions of immigrants who crossed the Atlantic seeking opportunity and prosperity.
The controversy mirrors similar disputes over Confederate monuments across the United States, where communities have wrestled with how to commemorate controversial historical figures.
Balancing Indigenous Recognition
The Adams administration announced it would also establish a $750,000 fund to promote cultural and artistic endeavours in the Indigenous community. The city officially observes both Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day on 13th October.
Mr Mastro emphasised the administration would not show callous disregard for any community, celebrating the great diversity of New York. The dual approach attempts to acknowledge both Italian American heritage and Indigenous peoples’ experiences.
Indigenous groups have long protested Columbus celebrations, pointing to the devastating impact of European colonisation on native populations. Many cities and states have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in recent years.
Mamdani Campaign Under Scrutiny
Mr Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist and state assemblyman, stunned the political establishment last month by defeating Mr Cuomo in the Democratic mayoral primary. He secured victory despite running on a platform filled with left-wing priorities and a track record including previous calls to defund the police.
His 2020 social media activity has drawn renewed scrutiny during the campaign. Beyond the Columbus statue post, Mr Mamdani shared statements during that summer’s protests including support for defunding the NYPD and describing law enforcement as a major threat to public safety.
In one June 2020 post, Mr Mamdani asked followers in a poll who should replace Columbus, offering options including Tony Bennett, Walter Audisio (described as a Communist partisan who killed Mussolini), and Sacco and Vanzetti (anarchists executed in 1927). The poll’s winners were Sacco and Vanzetti.
The controversy has energised both progressive supporters and conservative critics. President Donald Trump has described Mr Mamdani as a pure Communist, whilst moderate Democrats express concern about his ability to unite the city’s diverse communities.
November’s Four-Way Race
Mr Mamdani faces a competitive four-way race in November’s general election. He will compete against Mayor Adams running as an independent, Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, and former Governor Cuomo also running as an independent.
Recent polling shows Mr Mamdani leading by approximately 10 points, though political observers suggest the Columbus controversy and other revelations from his past statements may impact his support amongst key demographic groups.
The Italian American vote represents a significant bloc in New York politics, with community leaders warning that alienating such a substantial population could prove politically costly. Conservative social media voices have amplified the controversy, describing Mr Mamdani’s gesture as shameful and disgusting.
Historical Significance of Columbus
Christopher Columbus’s 1492 voyage across the Atlantic remains one of history’s most consequential expeditions. His arrival in the Americas initiated sustained contact between Europe and the Western Hemisphere after millennia of separation.
Italian Americans have long revered Columbus as a symbol of their community’s contribution to American history. The explorer’s journey resonates with generations of Italian immigrants who crossed the same ocean seeking new opportunities.
The United States capital, Washington DC, bears Columbus’s name, reflecting the Founding Fathers’ decision to honour the explorer when naming the fledgling nation. Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1971, following decades of advocacy by Italian American groups.
However, modern historical scholarship has increasingly examined the darker consequences of Columbus’s voyages, including the decimation of Indigenous populations through disease, violence and exploitation. This reassessment has fuelled debates about how societies should commemorate figures whose legacies contain both achievement and suffering.
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