A 2,000-pound bronzed statue of Christopher Columbus has been relocated to the Rockland Sons of Italy Lodge in Blauvelt.

The nearly 100-year-old statue, created in 1925, was previously vandalized and defaced during protests in Richmond, Virginia, in 2020. An Italian-American organization fundraised to restore the statue, which arrived at its new location Wednesday morning after a 12-hour journey from Virginia.

Mike Pizzi, of the Rockland Sons of Italy Lodge, expressed pride in the statue, stating, "We're proud of our heritage. Christopher Columbus is a symbol of the impact that the Italian culture has had on the world."