New York should keep statues honoring Christopher Columbus even though the brutalization of the West Indies inhabitants he encountered on his voyages to the New World is inexcusable, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday. Cuomo said Columbus was an important figure for Italian Americans, symbolizing their contribution to New York, and for that reason, he opposes removal of the statues. With protesters attacking statues of Columbus in recent days during anti-racist demonstrations, Cuomo was asked by a reporter whether it was time for monuments in the state celebrating the Italian explorer to go.
