Judge who halted removal of Columbus statue makes it 'crystal clear that she will not tolerate mob rule'

'A victory for civilized society'

An attorney praised a judge for putting the brakes on the Philadelphia Art Commission's plan to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus from Marconi Plaza, where heated demonstrations have taken place in favor of and against the monument in the wake of George Floyd's death.

Attorney George Bochetto represents a group of South Philadelphia residents fighting to keep the statue in place, and he told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Judge Paula Patrick — who issued a temporary stay — made it "crystal clear that she will not tolerate mob rule or kangaroo tactics."

Bochetto added to the paper that the judge's stay is "not just a victory for the Columbus Statue, [but] a victory for civilized society."

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