Christopher Columbus statue removed from Houston park

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After being vandalized multiple times within this past week alone, the statue of Christopher Columbus no longer stands in Houston's Bell Park.

It was removed Friday morning. There's no word on if this is a permanent removal.

Overnight, fencing surrounded the statue in the park along Montrose Boulevard. Security was installed at some point during the night to stop vandals.

The statue was splattered with tomato sauce Wednesday night.

Last Thursday, vandals splashed red paint all over the statue, while attaching a cardboard sign with the message, "Rip the head from your oppressor."

By Friday, one of the hands was chopped off.

The statue was commissioned by the Italian American Organizations of Greater Houston Inc. and donated in 1992.

Critics have said Columbus should not be viewed as someone who 'discovered' America, but as a foreign conqueror who enslaved natives.

The video above is from a previous report.

In the video, see the damage done for a second straight night on the Christopher Columbus statue in a Houston park.

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