Police are investigating vandalism of the Italian-American Veterans Memorial Monument, which includes a statute of Christopher Columbus, in Springfield's South End over the weekend.
Columbus statues in other cities have been targeted in recent days in connection to racial injustice demonstrations, including the Columbus figure in Boston whose head was removed.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno compared the weekend incident to the vandalism of the Black Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument in the Mason Square section of the city in 2017 and says he will take the same action of ordering the restoration of the affected monument.
Police have made no arrests.
(Photo Credit: John Baibak, WHYN News)