The Italian American Civil Rights League (IACRL) has criticized Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for his response to the toppling of a statue of Christopher Columbus by protestors, referring to him as an “enemy of the Italian American Community.” IACRL board member Mike Crispi accused Walz of having “a long history of being in favor of erasing our culture” and demanded that he drop out of the 2024 election.
In a statement shared by Crispi, the IACRL claimed that under Walz’s leadership, two people were killed, a police station was set on fire, and hundreds of millions of dollars in damages were caused during the riots. The group also accused Walz of failing to protect the statue, as he allegedly knew that vandals were coming but did nothing to prevent it from being targeted.
Christopher Columbus statues have been a target for protesters and activists who argue that celebrating the explorer contributes to systemic racism against indigenous peoples. In 2020, protesters in St. Paul, Minnesota, toppled a statue of Columbus outside the state’s Capitol building.
Crispi emphasized the historical importance of the Columbus statue for Italian Americans, noting that its origins are tied to efforts to combat racism against Italian immigrants who faced violence and persecution upon their arrival in the United States. He argued that today, Italian Americans face a new type of “mob” seeking to ban the federal holiday celebrating their heritage in the name of cancel culture and wokeness.
The IACRL’s criticism of Walz highlights ongoing tensions between Italian American communities and activists advocating for the removal or relocation of Columbus statues across the United States.