New York City

Native American Leader Takes Aim at Cuomo's Statue Plans

What to Know

  • The American Indian Law Alliance is taking aim Cuomo's plans to nominate NYC's statue of Christopher Columbus to National Register Alliance
  • The Democratic governor made the announcement on Monday, the day he marched in the Columbus Day Parade
  • Betty Lyons said on Tuesday that the 1892 statue represents genocide, enslavement, exploitation of children and land grabs

The head of the American Indian Law Alliance is taking aim at Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plans to nominate New York City's statue of Christopher Columbus to the National Register of Historic Places.

Betty Lyons said on Tuesday that the 1892 statue represents genocide, enslavement, exploitation of children and land grabs.

She says Cuomo is insensitive to the concerns of 100,000 indigenous peoples living in New York state. His representative had no immediate comment.

The Democratic governor made the announcement on Monday, the day he marched in the Columbus Day Parade.

A city commission appointed to review historical statues decided to keep the Columbus Circle monument, which Italian-American groups view as a source of ethnic pride.

The city is adding markers to contextualize the figures such statues depict.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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