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Mayor Robert Parisi said in a Facebook video the monument at intersection of Valley Road and Kingsley Street will be replaced by a "more appropriate message," but did not provide a timeline.
"The legend of Columbus does not match the history and today, the man, statues or monuments celebrating his life are a divisive and a symbol of hate and oppression and cannot remain as part of our community," Parisi said.
Two Change.org petitions to keep the monument have been launched: One argues for the statue's removal, the other -- it should stay put.
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