SAUGUS — The giant orange dinosaur that overlooks Route 1 might find a new home.
Early Sunday morning, a change.org petition appeared online requesting that the recently-vandalized Christopher Columbus statue in Boston’s North End be replaced by the iconic Saugus monument.
After gaining traction almost immediately, the petition has since accumulated nearly 6,000 signatures.
“I had no idea really what was going to come out of it,” said the petition’s creator, Barryphillip Arruda. “I’m glad that it’s gotten this far and that it’s continuing to grow minute by minute, but yeah, I had no idea. I had no expectations for this.”
Arruda, 28, said he came up with the idea with a friend while the two were discussing possibilities for what could replace the Columbus statue, which was beheaded on June 9.
“We drove by the orange dinosaur and said ‘that would be a perfect replacement for Christopher Columbus.’ We just kind of joked about it,” the Salem resident said. “Then I mentioned it to a few other people and the conversation became, ‘well what if we made a petition?’ It really kind of took off from there.”
In light of recent protests against the treatment of Black Americans by police, countless statues bearing the likeness of historical figures involved in the mistreatment and abuse of Africans across the globe — including the Italian-born Columbus, who is credited with enslaving and murdering thousands — have been vandalized or otherwise removed.
Clearly thought by many to be a worthy contender to replace Columbus, the dino — described by roadsideamerica.com as a “pudgy, safety-orange t-rex whose face appears to have been inspired by Bob Hope” — has been a Saugus symbol for decades.
But not everyone is on board with the idea.
Perhaps most outspoken is Boston’s Italian American Alliance, which put out a statement demanding the North End statue’s “restoration and return” following its decapitation.
“It’s very difficult to separate Columbus from the Italian-Americans,” Italian American Alliance spokesman Frank Mazzaglia later told the Boston Globe. “Thanks to Columbus, millions of people have found economic opportunity in this country … He was really the first immigrant here. He was also the first missionary.”
Although he doesn’t necessarily expect the dinosaur to replace Columbus’ statue, Arruda said he disagrees with the notion that Columbus should be the historical figure chosen to represent Boston’s Italian community.
“From what I understand, a large portion of the pushback is from Italian Americans who say he’s a symbol of their culture,” Arruda said. “I would argue there are many, many other Italian role models they could look towards.
“There have been plenty of Italian scientists, mathematicians, artists, painters, who have done more to benefit the world and forward (Italian) culture in ways other than genocide and murdering innocent people.”
Caught in the middle of the debate, however, are Saugonians — many of whom simply don’t want to part with their beloved orange dinosaur.
“The orange dinosaur needs to stay right here in Saugus,” said resident Liz Marchese. “He may be a tyrant, but he’s our tyrant. Boston has enough tyrannic carnivores running around up on Beacon Hill without taking ours.
“In all seriousness though, he needs to stay in his natural habitat. Saugus is his home where he is loved and respected.”
