Christopher Columbus statue placed at Eisenhower Executive Office Building, near White House

A Christopher Columbus statue has been placed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, on the White House grounds.

The statue is a replica of the one that was tossed into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on July 4, 2020, during Black Lives Matter riots, according to the Associated Press.

“We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can peacefully shine and be protected,” said Italian American Organizations United President John Pica, the wire service also reports. The group owns the statue and agreed to loan it to the federal government for placement at or near the White House.

Will Hemsley, a sculptor based in Centreville, Md., made the statue of mostly marble.