The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Chicago Park District in the hopes that the courts will order the return of the Christopher Columbus statue to Arrigo Park.

On Sunday, the JCCIA organized a rally to build some inertia behind the legal effort.

Watch the event here.

It’s been a year since the statue of Christopher Columbus was removed from Arrigo Park after chaos and rioting broke out among protestors.

“We are not asking for damages, an explanation or even an apology. We simply want the statues back where they belong, plain and simple,” JCCIA President Ron Onesti said.

The lawsuit claims the Chicago Park District breached a nearly 50-year-old agreement that the statue at Arrigo Park wouldn’t be taken down without the group’s written approval.

The group says Chicago’s Mayor, Lori Lightfoot, ordered the removal of three Columbus statues as a safety measure during protests, but the decision was initially billed by the city’s leader as merely a temporary solution, and the JCCIA wants the statues returned.

Return to Italian Sons and Daughters of America for updates on the lawsuit.

Our History

The time-honored Columbus Day celebrations were launched in the late 1800s as Italian immigrants attempted to create a sense of self-esteem and dignity during a period where they were subjected to lynchings, bigotry and prejudice throughout the U.S.

Columbus’s journey sparked 500 years of immigration to America, attracting peoples from throughout the world seeking a better life for their families — this is the spirit we champion and are fighting to preserve, and this is what the Columbus statues stand for.

Our Stance

The Italian American community has always supported the designation of an Indigenous Peoples Day as it is most rightly and most justly deserved.

However, it’s patently unjust that our heritage be erased to appease another group.

 

Make a pledge and become a member of Italian Sons and Daughters of America today!