Statue of Christopher Columbus moved from Houston park
The statue of Christopher Columbus that stood in Bell Park is seen in the back of a truck as it is moved into storage on June 19, 2020.
HOUSTON - The statue of Christopher Columbus is being removed from Bell Park in Houston.
The City says the statue is being moved and will be placed in storage until further notice.
The move comes after the statue was vandalized two nights in a row last week.
MORE: Christopher Columbus statue vandalized again at Houston park
The face and hands of a statue of Christopher Columbus at Bell Park are seen covered in red paint on June 11, 2020.
On June 11, the statue was found with red paint on the face and hands.
The next day, it was discovered that someone had broken off a hand from the statue. A noose was also put around the statue.
This morning, a chain link fence was seen around the statue, and a Parks unit was keeping watch.
A chain link fence was set up around a statue of Christopher Columbus in Bell Park.
The 7-foot tall, half-ton bronze statue of Christopher Columbus in Bell Park was commissioned by the Italian/American Organizations of Greater Houston, Inc., and it was donated to the City in 1992.
These weren’t the first instances of vandals targeting the statue. The statue was splashed with red paint in 2017.