The surge of online petitions and marches to remove Columbus monuments across New York City has come to Astoria Boulevard. Over a hundred people, including state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria), marched from Astoria Park to the neighborhood’s Columbus monument on June 17 to demand that it be removed as a way of reckoning with his legacy of murdering and enslaving indigenous people in the Americas.

Now the call to take the monument down has gained the support of Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria), and some civic leaders, under the condition that it be replaced with another Italian-American figure. For the past month, police have barricaded the statue in Columbus Square. Passersby have noticed the near-constant presence of a police cruiser hovering next to the memorial.