‘ITALIAN PRIDE DAY’ IN THE NORTH END
Italian-Americans waved the tricolor flag from the old country as a celebration of their heritage during yesterday’s Columbus Day Parade.
“It is Italian pride day,” said Frank Abrano, 79, of the North End. “I feel pride today.”
Abrano, a Vietnam veteran who served in the Navy, said he loves taking in sights at the parade year after year.
“I’m out today, I’m enjoying it,” Abrano said. “It’s appreciation day for veterans, for everybody, but mainly for Italians.”
Marco Saccoccia, of Sulmona, Italy, attended the parade yesterday with a group of other Italians.
“It’s important for us to be here today,” Saccoccia said. “I love this city. I love the United States. The United States is the world — Columbus is part of that.”
Marchers and spectators yesterday were able to enjoy the parade without interference only a day after dozens of protesters called for an end to the commemoration of Columbus Day. Protesters accusing the 15th-century explorer of atrocities against native peoples marched from Park Street to the statue of the explorer in the North End.
Mayor Martin J. Walsh said yesterday’s parade is about celebrating Italian contributions in the city.
“Today is a celebration of Italian heritage,” he said. “The conversation will go on about, in this
country, whether or not keeping the name Christopher Columbus. But we shouldn’t put aside the contributions of the immigrant community in the city of Boston.
“The Italian community has been very instrumental in building in our community. Many of our churches were built by the Italian community, along with the Irish and other immigrants that came to this shore,” Walsh said. “We shouldn’t be running from immigrants today, we should be running toward immigrants.”
Italian-born Serafino Pultiano, 79, marching with the Watertown Sons of Italy, said he’s worried Columbus Day parades will become a relic of the past.
“He discovered America and, to me, they should leave it the way it was,” he said. “But now a lot of politicians, they want to take him off because they say he was rude to the people years ago. They celebrated him for a lot of years. Why take him off now? It’s crazy.
“To me, he opened the world up to other people. He’s dead. He’s not here anymore,” Pultiano said. “I’m here because I honor Columbus. He did a lot for the world.”
State Sen. Joseph A. Boncore said Columbus Day has always been a “revered” holiday in his family.
“It’s important as Italian-Americans that we keep celebrating this parade to teach our children, and our children’s children, not only about the contributions we made, but the struggles we went through.”