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NEW YORK (FOX 5 NEWS) - As tourists walked through Central Park Tuesday, they likely didn't notice anything amiss with the Christopher Columbus statue near East 66th Street. But earlier in the day, it was a different scene when the Central Park Conservancy worked quickly to wash away graffiti scrawled across the monument.
Vandals defaced the statue as a show of defiance with hands bloodied and the threat "something's coming" and "hate will not be tolerated."
In the wake of the Charlottesville protests over a Robert E Lee statue, some have called to remove the Columbus statutes around New York.
Critics cite his treatment of Native Americans as a reason why he should not be celebrated. But others, including many Italian Americans, feel a strong connection to the Italian explorer and are proud of his discoveries.
The reaction was mixed among people in the park.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has set up a special commission to look into the issue of taking down controversial statues.
So far, no one has taken credit for this vandalism.