Waltham’s Christopher Columbus Monument Vandalized

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham police are investigating after the city’s Christopher Columbus monument was vandalized over the weekend, reported MassLive.

Police said they were notified of the vandalism at the memorial on the Waltham Common early Sunday morning. The statue was covered in red spray paint that said “Genocider” and “Death to Amerika.”

On person has been arrested in connection with the graffiti, police said. However, the incident remains under investigation.

Although Massachusetts continues to observe Columbus Day an an official holiday, many cities and towns in the state have voted to adopt Indigenous People’s Day instead to recognize America’s first inhabitants.

On a federal level, the Biden Administration recognized Indigenous People’s Day as a holiday for the first time in October 2021.

The holiday’s name change is a result of Christopher Columbus being under scrutiny in recent years, with supporters of the holiday arguing that its a celebration of Italian-American culture and opponents noting the negative impact of European colonization on native populations.

Bills to switch the holiday’s name in Massachusetts didn’t make it to the floor for a full vote in the latest 2022 legislative session, according to MassLive.