New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday expressed opposition to removing a statue of Christopher Columbus in New York City as Black Lives Matter protesters tear down monuments of the 15th-century explorer around the United States.
A partial transcript is as follows:
REPORTER: Is it time for the Christopher Columbus statue to go in New York City? And when comes to reopening, how are you going to be protecting elderly workers who are too afraid to go back to work, people who need childcare as everything reopens? And should businesses have liability?
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO: We have a phase to reopen plan and local governments enact a plan on a local level. For Christopher Columbus, I understand the dialogue that’s been going on for a number of years. The Christopher Columbus statue, in some ways, represents the Italian American legacy in this country and the Italian American contribution in this country. I understand the feelings about Christopher Columbus and some of his acts, which nobody would support. But the statue has come to represent and signify the appreciation of the Italian American contribution to New York. For that reason, I support it.