SAN ANTONIO — There's a brand new call for a downtown statue to be removed and the park where it stands to be renamed.
Councilman Roberto Treviño filed a consideration request that honors the Italian community in SA. It asks to remove the statue of Christopher Columbus and rename the park "Piazza Italia."
“With consideration of all the national and local protests calling for more inclusive public spaces, the Christopher Columbus Italian Society has been working with my office and City staff to remove the Christopher Columbus statue and replace it with something that illustrates the deep history, culture, and heritage of the Christopher Columbus Italian Society and Italian community in San Antonio," Treviño said. "I appreciate the cooperation of the Christopher Columbus Italian Society on the removal of the statue that the society donated to the city to be displayed at Christopher Columbus park in 1957."
The Christopher Columbus Italian Society says it will accept the statue back that it originally donated.
There will instead be a plaque honoring the Italian neighborhood that once defined the area. Treviño's request focuses on the Italian Society, but it comes as some Native American activists and allies have also raised concerns about the park and statue designation.
There have been years of debate over the legacy of Columbus and efforts in some cities to re-designate Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples' Day.
San Antonio's Italian Society said along with preserving Italian culture, it unites for community service, offers free Italian classes and donated a room at the Santa Rosa Children's Hospital.
Several other council members have already signed onto Treviño's request.
"It is my sincere hope that the spirit of this resolution will bring much healing in our community,” Treviño said.