- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
RICHMOND, Va. — Protesters in Richmond tore down a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into a lake on Tuesday night to protest the controversial historical figure as a symbol of racial oppression.
The statue stood in a park in the state’s capital city for nearly a century.
WWBT reports the statue was located in Byrd Park on the west side of the city. The protesters threw the statue into nearby Fountain Lake.
The incident happened last night at about 9 p.m. after about 200 Blacks Lives Matters movement protesters assembled near the statue to show support of indigenous rights. Throughout the evening, protesters marched through the city streets and ended up at the Columbus statue. Protesters emphasized solidarity between the plight of Black Americans and the colonization of the Indigenous community, according to Virginia Public Media (VPM).
VPM reported that once the statue was torn down, protesters sprayed painted it, placed an American flag on the top of it and then set it on fire.
Christopher Columbus stood for nearly a century in Byrd Park in Richmond, Virginia. From Flicker
Richmond has had protests for the past week and half in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd who died as the result of excessive force by Minneapolis police officers.
Tuesday’s destruction of the Columbus statue adds to calls across Virginia and other states to take down statues of Confederate soldiers. In Richmond, a statue of a Confederate general in a local park was torn down last weekend.
Separate from the recent Black Lives Matter protests, for several years American Indian groups have worked hard to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October. After the city of Los Angeles did so, the city then decided to remove a statue of Columbus in November 2018.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
Seattle Seahawks Tackle Preservation Projects at Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center for Annual Day of Service
Native News Weekly (June 15, 2025): D.C. Briefs
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
