Syracuse, NY – On November 1, 2021, Onondaga County Judge Neri has denied the Onondaga Nation’s Amicus Brief in the case of Columbus Monument Corp v. City of Syracuse and the removal of the Columbus statue in downtown Syracuse.
In 2018, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh began gathering community voices to discuss the statue and its role in Syracuse’s history and its future. The panel included many diverse voices to make their decision on the city’s path regarding the Christopher Columbus statue. At the conclusion of the panel, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh heeded the recommendations of the panel (which the defendant Mr. Nick Pirro was a part of) and announced the removal of the statue. In its place would be a Heritage Circle where many of the heritages that represent the area would be celebrated.
But in February of 2021, Mr. Pirro sued the Mayor of Syracuse because he argues that the mayor does not have the legal authority to remove the Christopher Columbus statue.
The Onondaga Nation’s Amicus Brief does not address who has jurisdiction in County government, as they would be a violation of our 1613 Two Row Treaty. This Brief does alert Judge Neri to some of the issues pertaining to Christopher Columbus that is the rationale for many cities and communities throughout the United States in removing their Columbus statues and re-naming Columbus Day to Indigenous People Day. Below is a summary of some of the statements issued in the Onondaga Nation Amicus Brief.
Columbus never landed in North America, called the people there “Indians”. Which after 500 years, many people continue this misconception.
Columbus was responsible to enslavement of Indigenous Peoples and massive rapes and slaughter of the original inhabitants.