The Bridgeport Park Board has voted to return the Christoper Colombus statue back to Seaside Park after it was removed in July.

Mayor Joe Ganim ordered the city to remove the statue, which has been a magnet for a controversy amid racial unrest in America, with protesters holding Columbus up as a symbol of racism based on historical accounts of his exploits while exploring the new world.

Chris Caruso, who heads up the Italian-American Societies of Greater Bridgeport, says he's thrilled the park board has decided to reverse the mayor's decision.

City Councilman Jorge Cruz, along with several like-minded officials, says Ganim was right to remove the statue amid concerns for its security.

The board voted to return the statue to its pedestal within 45 days. Protesters say they plan to ask for a public hearing so they can urge the panel to reconsider its decision.

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