The Providence Board of Park Commissioners has accepted a bid from former Mayor Joe Paolino for the city's statue of Christopher Columbus.
The former Mayor paid 50 thousand dollars for the statue.
It's been in storage since 2020 after being vandalized several times.
Paolino said the statue should be a symbol of Italian-American pride, while also recognizing Columbus' controversial legacy and being sensitive to Native Americans and others who don't view him as a symbol of pride.
Paolino says he plans to team up with an Italian organization to continue to put it on display.
(Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo: Getty Images