On Wednesday, Senate lawmakers sent a letter to the Director and CEO of the Minnesota Historical Society regarding the Christopher Columbus statue that was torn down, vandalized, and removed from the State Capitol grounds by protestors on June 10. The letter asks the historical society to clarify when the statue will be returned and whether they believe another action is necessary before the statue is returned to its place on the Capitol grounds.
“One does not get a pass on tearing down a statue because they do not like it,” said Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester). “It is against the law, and in this case, it is a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine or five years in prison. We can’t erase history by tearing down statutes, but we can reinterpret it – we should talk about what we believed then and what we believe now and how our thinking has changed.”
“Minnesota cannot continue down a path of disorder, we must return to a system that does not rely on violence or destruction,” said Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria). “Regarding the statue of Christopher Columbus that was torn down at the Capitol, the Lt. Governor and protesters can’t just remove it because they feel that their actions are justified. Minnesota has clear procedures they and everyone in this state need to abide by, whether you’re on the right or the left. Expectations can’t be made on a case by case basis, and we can’t allow favoritism in this state. Today, we’re seeking clarification on when the rules are going to be restored.”
Attachment: Letter to Minnesota Historical Society