Native American leaders in San Francisco are voicing frustration with the city following the decision to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus without consulting the local Native American community.
San Francisco officials recently decided to remove a statue of the famed explorer in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood. The move angered some local Native American groups that say they were glad to see the statue and others go but weren’t included in the process, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
“To be silenced again and not be included, that’s the problem,” said executive director for the American Indian Cultural Center in San Francisco, April McGill, who is of Yuki, Little Lake, and Mishewal Wappo tribal descent. She added that her group was not contacted by the city officials despite a partnership with the city’s Arts Commission and past work with Mayor London Breed.
“You’re on Native land, and when you remove something like that, there should have been someone there. We missed an opportunity here that was really important,” she said.
The push to remove statues deemed offensive from the public square has gained traction following the death of George Floyd on May 25. The movement initially was focused on removing statutes associated with the Confederacy but has morphed into a push to remove mainstream figures such as Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Theodore Roosevelt.
A statue of Catholic Saint Junipero Serra, who created California’s mission system, was also torn down earlier this month.
