SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Vandals splashed red paint all over the statue of John Sutter in Sacramento Monday night.
According to Sacramento Police, a person flagged down a police officer about the vandalized statue, located near 28th Street and L Street, around 10:30 p.m. Monday. Investigators believe the crime happened around the same time, but no arrests were made.
The statue of John Sutter is located at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park at 2701 L Street.
It's nearly impossible to drive anywhere in Sacramento and not see the name "Sutter." Whether on buildings, street signs, or statues, Sutter's namesake is pretty much synonymous with Sacramento.
Sutter was a German-born Swiss pioneer who founded Sutter's Fort and colonized what would eventually become the city of Sacramento. The discovery of gold on the land in 1848 led to the California Gold Rush.
While he is a Northern California pioneer, Sutter is also a controversial figure. According to historical articles, Sutter enslaved hundreds of Native Americans and even committed violent acts upon them.
"I think we glorify folks for the contributions without knowing the history of what actually happened. Native people have been hunted for thousands of years, and we know what Sutter fort stands for," said Britta Guerrero, CEO of the Sacramento Native American Health Center.
She feels Sutter should not be celebrated.
"Great men and heroes do not victimize women and children and minorities. Let's find some people who actually stand for the values and beliefs we hold true," Guerrero said.
More importantly, she feels that their history is not accurately told.
"Until the lion learns to write the story, we will glorify the hunter," Guerrero said. "This is the white-washed version of history so that one person or one community, one people, is the hero and usually the darker version is the villain. The indigenous people that were and still are very much here and thriving today - let's acknowledge those people who actually fight to protect their family, their culture, and their way of life."
California State Parks, which oversees Sutter's Fort Historic Park in Sacramento, told ABC10 that they take historical accuracy as a serious matter. As the national spotlight is now shining on the experiences of black and brown communities, state park officials say they'll be meeting to see if any modifications need to be made to Sutter's Fort.
Read more from ABC10
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