Columbus statue vandalized on Indigenous People’s Day
A statue of Christopher Columbus on the intersection of Elmwood and Reservoir avenues was painted red overnight Sunday, the Providence Journal reported. A sign that read “Stop Celebrating Genocide” accompanied the coated statue.
This is the fourth time the statue has been vandalized in nine years, but protests against the state’s celebration of Christopher Columbus have occurred since 1992. The state still celebrates the second Monday in October as “Columbus Day,” though the University officially renamed the day as “Indigenous People’s Day” in 2016.
The Providence police are investigating the incident, Emily Crowell, a spokeswoman for Mayor Jorge Elorza, told The Providence Journal.
Task force to hold first hearing to study Rhode Island’s education funding
State Sen. Ryan Pearson (D-Cumberland, Lincoln) is set to hold the first hearing of his new “Special Legislative Task Force to Study Rhode Island’s Education Funding Formula,” WPRI reported. The task force intends to reevaluate whether state resources are allocated toward education in the “most appropriate way,” Senate President Dominick Ruggerio (D-Providence, North Providence) told WPRI.
Ruggerio appointed Pearson to chair the nine-member task force to ensure that the state’s funding formula treats all taxpayers equally and “provides stable and predictable funding while correcting any inequities,” he said, according to a press release from the State of Rhode Island General Assembly’s website. The group will conduct a study of the current funding formula and issue a report to the Senate in January.
Students attacked by teenagers with paintball guns
A group of three teenagers shot paintballs at University students while driving around College Hill early Monday, the Providence Journal reported.
University police detained one 17-year-old and two 16-year-olds who were driving the car near Thayer Street. City police later seized two paintball guns from the car.
Four people hit by paintballs reported the incident to the police. One individual was hit in the forehead, and the others were hit in the arm, side and upper back, respectively.
The victims were unsure if they wanted to press charges against the three suspects, who were released to their parents by the Department of Public Safety.
