Lincoln, Roosevelt statues toppled in ‘Day of Rage’ against Columbus, Oregon cops say
Activists in Portland, Oregon, tore down statues of former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt in a Sunday night protest against Columbus Day.
Declaring an “Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage,” protesters also smashed the glass entrance to the Oregon Historical Society museum, The Oregonian reported. Police declared a riot and ordered the protesters to disperse.
Celebrated Monday in some states as Columbus Day and others as Indigenous Peoples Day, the annual holiday has come under fire over the legacy of Christopher Columbus.
“Though some groups argue that Columbus Day celebrates Italian American heritage, many say the holiday glorifies an exploration that led to the genocide of native peoples and paved the way for slavery,” reported USA Today.
The Portland protesters on Sunday dressed in black, carried shields and wore body armor, The Oregonian reported. They demanded that passersby not shoot photos or video.
Protesters first pulled down a statue of Roosevelt, who served as president from 1901 to 1909, on horseback in his “Rough Rider” garb, according to KGW.
Roosevelt had a history of hostility toward Native Americans and once said, “I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every 10 are,” CBS News reported.
The crowd of about 200 protesters threw red paint on the bronze statue, applied a blowtorch to the base and then pulled it down with chains, The Oregonian reported. They painted “Dakota 38” on the base of a statue of Lincoln and toppled it as well.
Lincoln allowed 38 Dakota men to be hanged following the Dakota U.S. War of 1862 and commuted the death sentences of 265 others, according to the publication.
Protesters spray-painted the words “Stolen Land” on the fallen Lincoln statue, KOIN reported.
Republican President Donald Trump wrote several posts on Twitter about the protest on Monday morning, baselessly blaming them on “Biden fools” and “antifa radicals.”
“Put these animals in jail, now,” Trump wrote in another post. “The Radical Left only knows how to take advantage of very dumb ‘leadership’ fools. This is Biden! Law & Order!”
Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, who is running for president against Trump, has condemned violent protests.
Portland has been an epicenter for protests since the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, in Minneapolis police custody touched off protests across the United States.
The Roosevelt and Lincoln statues were dedicated to the city in the 1920s by a local physician, The Oregonian reported.
This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 9:03 AM with the headline "Lincoln, Roosevelt statues toppled in ‘Day of Rage’ against Columbus, Oregon cops say."