Protesters in L.A. topple statue of Junipero Serra, who helped colonize California
Protesters in L.A. topple statue of Junipero Serra, who helped colonize California
by Eric Licas
A cheering crowd at the Placita Olvera historic square in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, June 20, toppled a statue of Junipero Serra, a Catholic saint known for his role in the Spanish colonization of California.
People tugged on ropes that were tied around the monument’s neck and brought the metal fixture tumbling backwards in footage uploaded to social media by LA Taco at 2:22 p.m. Some in the crowd, who were not visible in the recording, could be heard shouting “muscle!” and “this is for our ancestors,” as it landed with a deep, resonant clang.
Natives just tore down the statue of Junipero Serra at Placita Olvera in solidarity with #BLMprotest #antiracism #antislavery pic.twitter.com/8ZDdv7vej7
— L.A. TACO
(@LATACO) June 20, 2020
Serra is credited with founding nine missions in California. He was canonized as a saint in 2015, despite opposition from American Indian groups for his role in aiding the Spanish settlement of California.
Statues commemorating figures associated with either slavery or the colonization of indigenous people have drawn the outrage of protesters, following weeks of mass demonstrations held nationwide and centered on the issue of institutional racism in the United States tied to the killing of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis last month. A group of demonstrators brought down another statue of Serra that had been installed in the Music Concourse of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on Friday evening.
Protesters tore down more statues across the United States, expanding the razing in a San Francisco park on Friday to the writer of America’s national anthem and the general who won the country’s Civil War that ended widespread slavery.
On the East Coast, more statues honoring Confederates who tried to break away from the United States more than 150 years ago were toppled.
But several were removed at the order of North Carolina’s Democratic governor, who said he was trying to avoid violent clashes or injuries from toppling the heavy monuments erected by white supremacists that he said do not belong in places like the state Capitol grounds that are for all people.
Native children sitting on the fallen Junipero Serra statue. pic.twitter.com/dDFfULX2qx
— L.A. TACO
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
All credit goes to Eric Licas
Originally published on https://www.dailynews.com
