Columbus Circle in New York City could be losing its center attraction.
According to New York Post, the 76 -foot statue of Christopher Columbus is now up for debate. New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said on Monday the statue should be among those reviewed by the city for "potential purging."
Mark-Viverito made the remarks while advocating for the removal of a different statue of Dr. J Marion Sims.
Christopher Columbus is loved by many Americans as an explorer but reviled by for his treatment of Native Americans.
On Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced he is working to assemble a task force to decide on a “universal standard” for which individuals should be honored by the city going forward. That task force will decide on the Columbus Circle statue.
According to History, Columbus and his men "enslaved many native inhabitants of the West Indies and subjected them to extreme violence and brutality."