Monterey, Calif., Jun 25, 2019 / 17:49 pm
A university in California removed a bell last week after a Native American group claimed the historic piece was disrespectful to their heritage.
The El Camino Real Bell, named for the California route connecting the 21 Franciscan missions, was removed by the University of California, Santa Cruz on Friday. The bell has been on UCSC's campus since the 1990s. It is one of a series of bells placed along the route.
The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band issued an objection to the bell during the last school year. The group said the bell symbolized the enslavement and humiliation of their ancestors.
"It is shameful that these places where our ancestors were enslaved, whipped, raped, tortured and exposed to fatal diseases have been whitewashed and converted into tourist attractions," said Valentine Lopez, chair of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, according to Fox News.