COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVN)--Crews carried out the order from Columbus mayor Andrew Ginther early Wednesday morning, by removing the statue of Christopher Columbus from its pedestal outside City Hall.
Crane operators were in place by 5AM, with the statue loaded onto a flat bed trailer of a semi-truck just before 7AM.
Ginther called for the statue to be removed, citing the explorer's history of genocide. The statue was a gift from Columbus's sister city, Genoa, Italy, in 1955. It will now be housed in storage.
The mayor has tasked the Columbus Art Commission with coming up with a replacement artwork that better reflects the city's diversity and people.
Last month, the statue of Christopher Columbus was removed from the campus of Columbus State Community College.