San Francisco has removed a statue of Christopher Columbus. The image had recently become a topic of discussion because many people see it as a symbol of oppression.

The statue has stood near Coit Tower since 1957 and weighed nearly 2,000 kilograms. The art council of the city council decided, with the approval of the mayor, to remove the statue.

“The statue does not reflect San Francisco values and our commitment to fighting racism,” said a committee of the committee against the San Francisco Chronicle.

Another reason for the removal was the call to pull it off its plinth and toss it into the water. Calls were circulating on social media to get as many people together as possible to get the picture of his place.

“If a 2000 kilogram statue falls over, it is hazardous for bystanders,” said a city council member.

“I faced the pedestal and felt a breath of fresh air now that Columbus is gone,” said a Native American rights activist. In other cities, images of Columbus have already been defaced and removed, in Boston an image was even beheaded.

Since the death of George Floyd several weeks ago, there have been protests against racism worldwide. In many countries, including the US, the UK and the Netherlands, the call to remove images of colonizers and slave traders have grown louder.