Actor, playwright, and restaurant owner Chazz Palminteri on Monday said America will "never, ever" ditch Columbus Day, extolling the explorer who was the first immigrant to arrive in the country.
In an interview on Newsmax’s "National Report," the gregarious Italian-American, who narrated a documentary titled "Courage and Conviction: The True Story of Christopher Columbus," called the holiday "our day."
"They blame Christopher Columbus, but Christopher Columbus when he was there … there was no wars," Palminteri said. "When he left, his soldiers were attacked by a tribe called the Caribs. Then they responded, and that started the war. This had nothing to do with Christopher Columbus."
According to Palminteri, Columbus Day is an immigrant day.
"What people don't realize there, is that we were the first immigrants," he said. "Christopher Columbus was the first immigrant to come through America. This is an immigrant day … it's our day that we've been celebrating for the past 100 years. With pride, never riots. Never anything. This is our day. Indigenous People have their day … Native Americans have their day."
"Don't take away our day," Palminteri pleaded. "It's never gonna happen. Ever, ever, ever. Trust me, it will never happen. They should stop trying to take it away."
Palminteri also praised his in the New York Police Department Columbia Organization.
"That was one of the proudest days of my life to be with the NYPD Columbia Organization," he said. "I mean that."
"These guys are out there every day," he said. "You realize their life is on the line every single day, and we want to defund the police. We want to take money from the police. People have lost their minds. It's not going to happen. I support the NYPD and I support Christopher Columbus."
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