Filed under: St Paul
Today I livestreamed as AIM of Twin Cities & AIM Patrol of Minneapolis, Native Lives Matter, their followers and supporters pulled down a state of Christopher Columbus. I got there just as it happened. There were a few dozen – maybe 100 people there. I saw one police officer out in the open, apparently holding the form you can use to request the removal of an offensive statue.
I missed any introductory remarks. I got there when they were putting the rope around the statue. They invited the women to the front and then everyone pulled. It fell easily. (My guess is that some screws were loosened to help – or we are very lucky that statute hasn’t fallen on someone’s head earlier.) There were cheers.
I absolutely support removal of the atrociously offensive art in and out of the Capitol building. I was fortunate enough to join a tour with Jim Bear Jacobs talking about the art in the building and it’s horrifying. I come from a line of people who believe in tearing down statue’s (such as Nelson’s Column in Dublin).
I left soon after they pulled down the statute. The police were called and they were lined up – not in full riot gear but as an obvious presence. But that wasn’t the main reason. People were kicking the statue and then someone knelt on his neck. And I had to leave.
I support the removal. I support the work it will take to unlearn a biased history, to un-internalize stories from the patriarchy. I recognize that being loud means being heard and quiet voices have not been heard. I think these continued action of civic engagement and civil disobedience will keep up the pressure required to effect change that will improve lives.
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