Shown is the statue of Christopher Columbus at Marconi Plaza in Philadelphia, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Philadelphia removed the plywood box it placed over the statue after 2020 protests over racial injustice. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Crews have removed the plywood box that had been placed over a Philadelphia statue of Christopher Columbus that saw tense standoffs in 2020 between supporters of the monument and opponents who viewed it as a symbol of white supremacy. The box was removed Sunday night, as a small crowd cheered. The work came two days after a state judge ordered the removal, saying that if the city disagrees with the “message” the statue sends, it can add its own plaque with what it wants to convey. The statue has been the subject of a long-running dispute. The statue dates to 1876 and was presented to the city by the Italian American community to commemorate the nation’s centennial.