Mother asks for Psych Test of man arrested for Damaging Columbus Statue

#TheBahamas, October 13, 2021 – The Bahamas now knows it was Shavandaze Smith, a 37 year old Nassau man, believed to be mentally challenged that was arrested by the police for damaging Government property and other offences, after he allegedly used a sledge-hammer to destroy the statue of Christopher Columbus at the Government House on Duke Street.

Smith, at the time of his arrest which was on Saturday October 9, was reported to have been found to be in possession of a bulletproof vest. Social media accounts of the incident shows him shouting and the statue of the Italian explorer being broken off with, what appeared to have been physically exhausting blows to the likeness of the so called “Founder of the New World”.

The incident has also reignited debates around the issue of whether or not leaders of the Colonial period should continue to have major standing in Caribbean societies. Several persons have posted on social media that they are in support of the man’s alleged action.

One social media posted “As a Bahamian this sickens and embarrasses me. Columbus was responsible for many terrible things, for which he should be held in contempt, but he is also a part of our history, and those of us who wish to pull ourselves out of the primordial sludge of ignorance understand that. Hate and stupidity. Although I’m sure the haters will be writing letters to the editor calling this idiot a “hero”. It’s a New Day!

While another said to one user who condemned the alleged action, “That D- education of yours has obviously left you without an unbiased account of the history of Christopher Columbus that is grounded in fact as opposed to fiction. And all of that internet browsing you do is unfortunately no substitute for your apparent lack of a good education in your more formative years.”

According to reports from the police, sometime around 1:20 p.m., officers from the Operations Unit were dispatched to Government House. On the officers’ arrival they met an adult male in the act of causing damage to the statue of Christopher Columbus, with the use of a sledgehammer.

It adds, that the male was also found in possession of a bullet proof vest, for which he could not give a satisfactory account, and “suspect was arrest and taken into custody for Damage to Government Property and Unlawful Possession. Investigations into this matter continues,” the police said.

Mr. Smith has since appeared in court, and was charged with causing $2,000 worth of damage to the monument.  Shavandaze Smith’s mother, who was in the court at the time her son appeared ready to enter a plea to the charges of damage and trespassing, interrupted and requested a psychiatric evaluation of her son.