By Currents News
The 2025 Columbus Day parade, traditionally held along Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, was canceled on Oct. 13 due to a state of emergency declared by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
High winds forced the cancellation, with no plans to reschedule, leaving last year’s festivities as a memory for participants. The decision also reignited ongoing controversies surrounding the explorer Christopher Columbus and his statues.
Across the country, numerous Columbus memorials have been removed in recent years, prompting questions about the future of such monuments. However, the iconic Columbus Circle statue in New York City remains secure, protected by state and national preservation laws.
Before resigning, former state Governor Andrew Cuomo insisted the statue stay, citing its significance to the Italian-American community amid a history of discrimination.
Tensions flared as a 2020 tweet from city mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani resurfaced, showing him gesturing offensively at a Columbus statue in Astoria, Queens with the caption “Take it down now.”
Italian-American leaders, including Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, have called the gesture disrespectful. He urges people to learn more about the Italian-American icon.
Vivolo has also applied for landmark status for the Astoria statue, awaiting further steps in the process.