A statue of Christopher Columbus and a museum devoted to Italian immigration in Philadelphia were both vandalized with graffiti opposing Columbus on Columbus Day.
At the History of Italian Immigration Museum, on Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, "Italian-Americans against racism" and "End Columbus Day" was found spray-painted on the sidewalk Monday.
NBC10 obtained surveillance video of a suspect outside the museum wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Police later released photos of the suspect.
The graffiti at the museum also read, "Slavery Genocide Rape Stolen Land Lenape Hoking." The Lenape, also known as the Lenni or Leni Lenape, were native Americans who lived in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania; they called their home "Lenapehoking."
Similar graffiti reading "Italian-Americans against racism" was found at a statue of Columbus on Broad Street in South Philadelphia's Marconi Plaza, which was named after Italian radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi.
Columbus Day was created as a federal holiday in 1937. Many cities mark the day with a parade and celebrations of Italian American culture and pride. Philadelphia, where South Philly remains the heart of Italian community, held its parade Sunday.
But some cities and states -- including Cincinnati and Alaska -- have replaced the holiday with celebrations of indigenous people who were forced off their land, enslaved, sickened and killed by Columbus and the European settlers who followed him.
Pennsylvania Rep. Chris Rabb has proposed doing that in Pennsylvania, Billy Penn reported. He said he doesn't think his bill will ever get to the House floor.
But he "wanted people to know we care about this issue," he said.
