"Outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams is moving to protect a pair of Christopher Columbus statues amid threats from mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani, who has called for them to be toppled. Adams, who steps down at the end of the year after choosing not to run for reelection, told the New York Post that his administration plans to seek a historic designation for the Italian explorer's monuments at Columbus Circle and Astoria's Columbus Square to prevent them from being removed."
"First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro, who described himself as a "proud Italian-American" said the city's request for historical status will be presented to the Landmark Preservation Commission for action before Adams leaves office. He said the statues are a testimony to the numerous contributions of Italian Americans in America's largest city. Mamdani hasn't vowed on the campaign trail to bring down the statues, but in 2020 he posted a photo of himself giving a Columbus statue in Astoria the middle finger."
"The Columbus Statue in Columbus Circle, built in 1896, was designated federal and state historic landmark status in 2018, following support from then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democratic mayoral primary to Mamdani and is now running as an independent in the general election. But the Columbus statue in Astoria Square, unveiled in 1941, doesn't have landmark protection, the Post reported."
Mayor Eric Adams plans to seek historic designation for Christopher Columbus statues at Columbus Circle and Astoria's Columbus Square to prevent their removal. First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro said the request will be presented to the Landmark Preservation Commission before Adams leaves office and called the statues a testimony to Italian-American contributions. Zohran Mamdani previously posted a photo in 2020 urging removal of a Columbus statue in Astoria. The Columbus Circle statue received federal and state landmark status in 2018, while the Astoria statue, unveiled in 1941, lacks landmark protection.
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