Columbus statues vandalized 1:14
(CNN) - A statue of Christopher Columbus in Chicago's Grant Park was removed early Friday morning after Mayor Lori Lightfoot ordered its removal.
A video of the scene shows crews securing the statue covered with tie-down straps before using a crane to remove it from the base.
The controversial statue was the scene of a confrontation between Chicago police and protesters last Friday that left several officers injured.
The Chicago Tribune newspaper reported Thursday that Lightfoot planned to remove it.
On July 17, a large group of protesters attempted to tear down the statue, Chicago police said. Eighteen officers were injured during the demonstration while "providing security and protecting their First Amendment right to peaceful assembly," the department said in a statement.
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Some people in the crowd used rocks, fireworks, frozen bottles, and other objects to attack officers, according to the statement.
About 12 people were arrested and could face charges that may include assault on a police officer, mass action and / or other serious crimes, the statement added.
The statues of Columbus, a controversial figure in US history, along with the Confederate statues, have been attacked and, in some cases, removed as a nationwide racial trial ensues after the death of George Floyd.
Floyd's death at the hands of the police sparked outrage and protests across the country and rekindled a national conversation about race, police brutality, and social injustice.
Christopher Columbus