Pittsburgh-area Italians gather on Columbus Day to fight for Schenley Park statue - TribLIVE

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Flo Spagnolo sat in a lawn chair facing the Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park on Monday.

It was Columbus Day. The controversial statue was obscured, wrapped from top to bottom in plastic and tape.

“I have been here since the beginning when the statue was placed here,” said Spagnolo, 93, from Greenfield. “I am so upset they want to take him away. That’s why I am wearing black. There is cruelty and meanness in this world.”

“It’s like he is dying again,” said Spagnolo, who joined a handful of people at noon in protest to keep the statue in place.

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop | Tribune-Review

The Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park is wrapped on Monday — Columbus Day — to protect it from vandalism and for a move to another part of the city of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said Monday that the statue was wrapped at 6 a.m. by public works crews and volunteers on Sunday to protect it from being defaced. Last week, Peduto recommended the statue’s removal, following up on a similar recommendation from the Pittsburgh Art Commission.

A lawsuit was filed against the city and Peduto on Thursday by the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, with its headquarters Downtown, seeking to have its removal stayed.

Attorney George Bochetto, who represents the Sons and Daughters, said that Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge John McVay granted the temporary injunction Friday evening and prohibited the city from removing the statue. The judge allowed it to be wrapped for protection at the city’s request.

Each side has 14 days to file legal arguments on the matter.

Peduto said there is no plan to put another statue in its place and that Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens wants to utilize the nearby property. He said the city owns the statue.

“I think there will be a way that we can find a private location within the city of Pittsburgh where the Italian community can celebrate its culture and being able to explain both sides of the history that will allow the statue to remain in the city of Pittsburgh,” he said.

Courtesy of Joe DeFrancesco

Members of the Italian American community in Pittsburgh gather at the Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park to preserve it. The statue has been wrapped up on Monday — Columbus Day — to protect it from vandalism and for a move to another part of the city of Pittsburgh.

Carmella Mullen, of Braddock, an organizer of the annual Columbus Day Parade which was canceled this year, said she was devastated.

“This is a disgrace to the Italian community and the Italian ancestors who built this city,” Mullen said.

She said the art commission had already made up its mind to remove the statue before any argument to keep it was made.

“The mayor copped out,” Mullen said.

“I am just glad a lot of our older Italian Americans aren’t here to see this.”

Vince Fusca, of Churchill, said he was sick about seeing the statue taped up.

“The Italian Americans built this statue with their blood, sweat and tears,” said Fusca.

The statue, at the corner of Frew Street Extension and Schenley Drive, was unveiled in 1958.

The lawsuit contends that the commission’s vote to remove the statue violated a 1955 ordinance, the Sunshine Act and the public trust doctrine; the vote was “based on an improper application and with insufficient evidence.”

“What is more, the Art Commission violated the public’s right to a fair proceeding before a neutral administrative body since some commissioners were deeply conflicted after making public comments about their personal positions before the conclusion of the proceedings – at which they are supposed to be neutral arbiters – concerning the statue,” Bochetto wrote.

According to the complaint, city council passed an ordinance on May 16, 1955, giving the Sons of Columbus of America and its successors the “right to erect and construct a memorial of granite and bronze of Christopher Columbus at such place and location in Schenley Park,” as designated by the director of parks and recreation.

Based on that, the complaint said, any action to remove or relocate the statue, must begin with revocation or amendment of that original ordinance. Otherwise, the city cannot act.

The complaint also alleges that some commission members expressed support for removing the statue prior to the first public hearing, but did not recuse themselves from the vote, thereby denying Pittsburgh residents due process.

The complaint quoted comments made by commission member Richard Parsakian, who said in an Aug. 25 WESA-FM radio interview, “That is not a good role model to put on a pedestal at this point. We’re not putting up statues of Hitler, is what it comes down to.”

The complaint asks the court to enjoin the city from removing the statue until it has fully complied with the law, and now pending the outcome of the court case.

“We have raised very serious issues as to why tearing that statue down would be illegal,” Bochetto said.

Guy Costa, Peduto’s former chief operating officer, said it could cost as much as $40,000 to move the statue. He said he would not want his tax dollars funding such a move.

“Let the people who don’t want the statue there to pay to remove it,” said Costa, who has been a liaison between the mayor’s office and the Italian American community during the statue controversy.

Peduto said a location to take the statue has not been determined.

He said the decision to wrap it up on Columbus Day was meant to preserve it from threats that it might be vandalized. He noted other cities, such as Portland and Baltimore, where statues were destroyed.

Peduto said officials are exploring how to remove it while preserving it. He said public spaces belong to all and though our views may be very strong, we have to respect the views of others.

Joe DeFrancesco of Mt. Washington said if it wasn’t for Christopher Columbus, “we wouldn’t be here.”

“The mayor is of Italian descent,” DeFrancesco said. “Why would he want to take down this statue?”

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Pittsburgh-area Italians gather on Columbus Day to fight for Schenley Park statue - TribLIVE

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