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Protestors topple Thomas Jefferson monument in Portland

According to the broadcasting company, this is the third monument vandalized in the state over the weekend

© AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer

TASS, June 15. A monument erected to Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States (1801-1809) in Portland, Oregon was toppled by protestors on Sunday night, CBS TV reported Monday.

The monument used to grace the entrance of Jefferson High School located in the north of the city. Vandals spray-painted the phrase ‘Slave Owner’ across the statue. A ‘Black women inspire me’ placard was tossed nearby.

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According to the broadcasting company, this is the third monument vandalized in the state over the weekend. Saturday saw two sculptures erected to commemorate the pioneers from England at the University of Oregon being taken down.

Jefferson was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. In 1776, he proposed social and political ideals of the Declaration of Independence, winning him the title of the primary author of the document. He also took an active part in drafting the Bill of Rights. Continuing his political career, Jefferson served as first secretary of state (1790-1793) and second vice president (1797-1801).

Widespread unrest has engulfed many US states over the death of an African-American Minneapolis man named George Floyd, who died after a police officer kneeled on his neck and choked him to death during his arrest. On May 26, all officers involved in the deadly arrest were fired. On May 29, the policeman in question, Derek Chauvin, was arrested on third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges. However, on June 3, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison upped the charge against Chauvin to second-degree murder. The three other officers involved in the fatal incident were arrested as well and are now facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

The protests often involve riots and looting. Previous reports show vandals on some occasions defacing monuments to leaders of the Confederate States of America that united southern slave-owning states during the US Civil War (1861-1865). Moreover, a few statues of Christopher Columbus were pulled down as well.

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