WATERBURY (AP) — The head of a Christopher Columbus statue in Waterbury was knocked off amid protests over racial injustice and the legacy of the 15th-century navigator.

The Republican-American reports that photos shot Saturday show the headless statue outside Waterbury's City Hall.

The statue had been the focus of a standoff this past week between its supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters who wanted it removed.

Several Columbus statues in Connecticut have been removed in recent weeks as anti-racism protesters have argued that the renowned explorer was responsible for the exploitation and genocide of Indigenous people.

Crews removed a Columbus statue from its pedestal in Hartford on Monday, and city leaders said it would be placed in storage until a decision is made on what to do with it. The Columbus statue in New London has also been removed and put into storage.

The Waterbury statue was donated to the city in the 1980s by UNICO, an Italian-American organization.