Providence Journal Writer Urges More Vandalism of Columbus Statue

Providence Journal Writer Urges More Vandalism of Columbus Statue

Providence Journal writer Rob Duguay took to social media and called for further vandalism of the Columbus statue.

Duguay posted a story to Facebook about the vandalism and wrote, “This should be an annual thing.”

He is a prolific writer and writes regularly for the Providence Journal and two other GateHouse Media newspapers — the Worcester Telegram and the Newport Daily News, according to his biography posted to LinkedIn.

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The sculpture was created by Auguste Bartholdi —the Frenchman who sculpted the Statue of Liberty.

“When it comes to defacing a symbol of someone who started a genocide that lasted hundreds of years I am all for it,” added Duguay in another comment to Facebook.

Duguay writes lifestyle, music and news stories for the GateHouse newspapers. Combined — Duguay has written about 100 by-lined stories in the Providence Journal and the other newspapers.

His stories including news stories about government, including "Newport council taking another look at food truck rules after feedback."

When challenged by another Facebook commenter, Duguay responded, “The guy cut off kids' hands and made them wear them as a necklace.”

The Duguay comments are similar to comments issued on Wednesday by Providence City Councilwoman Kat Kerwin.

Councilwoman Supports Vandalism Too

Kerwin sent the following statement to GoLocal Wednesday:

I support the vandalization of the Columbus Day statue and I hope the statue will be removed by next Columbus Day. The brave soul who vandalized the statue wrote “stop celebrating genocide”. While many are concerned by the vandalism, the reality is, it has begun a conversation that Rhode Island desperately needs to have around our willingness to celebrate the mass murder of indigenous people.

It is time Rhode Island joins the states who have listened to leaders in the Indigenous community and acted condemn Columbus for who he is—a man who stole Indigenous land, and murdered Indigenous people. Celebrating Columbus Day is celebrating colonization and I hope next year we can have a conversation around celebrating our City’s rich Italian-American culture without ignoring the dark history of genocide attached to Columbus.

The recently vandalized statue of Christopher Columbus in Providence has a legacy that may be as transient and rich as the explorer himself.

The sculpture was cast in 1893 — by the Gorham Manufacturing Company, which had commissioned master sculptor Bartholdi.

The Providence-based bronze cast statue is a cast of the original sterling silver statue commissioned for the 1892 Columbian Exposition of the World's Fair held in Chicago, Illinois. “For the upcoming exposition, Gorham wanted a demonstration piece to show the skill of its foundry and commissioned Bartholdi to create a statue of Columbus,” according to the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s Office.