Shooter opens fire at New Mexico protest against Spanish Nazi conquistador statue, injuring 1

[Right not left]

Officials had previously postponed the installation of a Juan de Oñate
statue for fear of violence

A man was shot Thursday after gunfire erupted at a protest in northern New
Mexico, where activists opposed the installation of a statue of Spanish
conquistador Juan de Oñate.

The man was injured and taken to the hospital while Rio Arriba County
sheriff's officials arrested the suspected shooter, 23-year-old Ryan
Martinez. Authorities said Martinez was the only suspect wanted in
connection to the shooting.

Oñate has been a controversial figure in New Mexico's history for
generations. Activists have targeted the statue and other likenesses of
the Spaniard for what they say was his brutal and oppressive treatment of
Native Americans during the Spanish conquest of what is now the
Southwestern United States. Some Hispanics view the statue as a symbol of
their heritage.

The county had previously postponed the installation of the statue in
anticipation of public safety concerns, according to The Associated Press.

Protesters arrived Tuesday and pitched tents. They placed offerings on and
around the empty pedestal to Oñate, including pottery, corn stalks, votive
candles and a basket of vegetables. Banners read, "not today Oñate," and
"celebrate resistance not conquistadores."

The suspected shooter had argued with protesters and was told by law
enforcement officers to leave before violence erupted. Video filmed by an
onlooker showed an altercation between the man and a group of protesters
which ended in a shooting.

If we can't have confederate statues, we can't have Spanish Nazi statues
either. Take it down and ban it forever.

https://nypost.com/2023/09/29/protest-in-new-mexico-over-statue-of-
spanish-conquistador-juan-de-onate-leaves-one-shot/