Italian-American groups and the estate of a sculptor have taken their fight over a familiar bronze figure back to federal court, filing a lawsuit Tuesday that aims to force the return of the Christopher Columbus statue that stood outside Columbus City Hall from 1955 until its removal during the summer 2020 protests. The suit asks a judge to send the statue back to its old perch and to halt spending tied to its takedown, arguing that Mayor Andrew Ginther did not have the legal authority to order its removal. With that, the long-running local battle over monuments and public memory is once again in front of a federal judge.
The case was filed on behalf of the Friends of Christopher Columbus Foundation and several Italian-American organizations, including the Columbus Piave Club, with the estate of the statue’s sculptor listed as a plaintiff, according to the group’s website. The plaintiffs say they have hired national counsel and have been raising money to fuel the legal challenge; the group’s site prominently declares, “Because our history deserves its day in court.” Friends of Christopher Columbus Foundation.
According to ABC6/WSYX, the complaint names the City of Columbus, Mayor Andrew Ginther, the Columbus Art Commission and several federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, as defendants. The filing asks the court to restore the statue to its original spot, to block use of funds associated with its removal and to uphold what the plaintiffs say are their constitutional rights.
Where the Statue Came From and Why It Was Removed
The bronze statue was a gift from the city’s sister city of Genoa and served as the centerpiece of Portman Plaza from its 1955 dedication until crews took it down on July 1, 2020, placing it in storage amid that summer’s protests, according to reporting on the removal and its aftermath. WOSU reported both the removal and the city’s decision not to reinstall the statue at City Hall. In 2023, the city launched its “Reimagining Columbus” initiative, supported in part by an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Monuments Project grant, to explore how the statue might be interpreted or relocated and to guide a redesign of the plaza, with those details outlined in city council materials. Columbus City Bulletin.
How This Fits Into a National Legal Pattern
The courtroom fight in Columbus is part of a broader national pattern, as disputes over Columbus statues and other public monuments increasingly wind up before judges. In one recent example, a 2024 appeals court filing kept alive a challenge to Pittsburgh’s removal of a Columbus statue, showing how these monument battles can crawl through the courts for years. AP.
ABC6/WSYX reports that its journalists have requested comment from Mayor Ginther’s office about the new filing but had not received a response at the time of reporting. The plaintiffs are asking for injunctive relief that would put the statue back in Portman Plaza and bar further expenditures linked to its removal. That request starts a federal court schedule that will determine whether the case heads into discovery or moves toward an early hearing.
Legal Implications
At the heart of the complaint is the claim that the mayor exceeded his authority when he ordered the statue’s removal in 2020. How the court answers that question could determine whether the statue must be returned or whether the city’s actions stand. Even if a judge orders restoration or restricts spending, such rulings frequently trigger appeals and raise thorny questions about who controls public art, how municipal art commissions fit into that picture and which parties have standing to sue.
For now, the lawsuit sets the city’s multi-year public art process and the plaintiffs’ push for full restoration on a collision course in federal court. Residents and organizations on both sides say they are watching closely to see how the case progresses and whether it prompts new moves from city council or the administration.
