More than 50 onlookers gathered on a dark, chilly Friday morning between San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum and Main Library to witness the long-awaited removal of the deeply controversial “Early Days” sculpture.

The battle to get the bronze sculpture moved has been roiling for decades, particularly among those of American Indian heritage who were aggrieved by what they saw as an offensive celebration of the subjugation of their people.

The 2,000-pound statue offered little resistance as a crane hoisted it from its pedestal and gingerly placed it on a flatbed truck around 5:30 a.m. Those who gathered to watch, mostly American Indians, softly sang traditional songs and burned bundles of sage.

The sculpture depicts a fallen, nearly naked American Indian lying at the feet of a vaquero and a missionary. It’s one of five bronze sculptures that make up the Pioneer Monument, an 800-ton shrine erected in 1894 to honor the settling of California.

The statue, in plain sight of City Hall, will be put in fine-art storage, and the city’s Arts Commission will decide where it goes from there.

The Early Days sculpture in SF’s Civic Center was removed this morning at 5:30 am. pic.twitter.com/PL80vfdfIZ — Dominic Fracassa (@DominicFracassa) September 14, 2018

Eventually, it could leave San Francisco altogether. Allison Cummings, senior registrar of the city’s Civic Art Collection, said the commission “had received interest” about the statue from outside the city toward the end of last year.

“We haven’t heard recent interest, but should a scenario present itself, and if the commission decides it’s appropriate, it could be on the table,” she told the Board of Appeals on Wednesday.

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“I think we’re witnessing a moment in history where, commendably, San Francisco officials are doing the right thing to help rectify the mistreatment of indigenous people,” said Janeen Antoine, a longtime Bay Area resident who is of Lakota heritage.

“To me, it’s always symbolized the oppression and conquest of indigenous people. We’re very happy this is finally happening after decades of work and struggle from the native community.”

Among those gathered was District Five Supervisor Vallie Brown, who is of American Indian heritage.

“It was very emotional for me. There are a lot of sins moving away with that statue,” she said. Brown was among the dozens of people who urged the city’s Board of Appeals to approve the statue’s removal when it met Wednesday evening. The board’s vote that day formally authorized Friday’s predawn relocation.

Back in April, the appeals board sided with Petaluma attorney Frear Stephen Schmid, who objected to decisions by the city’s Arts Commission and Historic Preservation Commission to take the statue down.

More Information Online extra To see a video of the statue being removed, got to: https://bit.ly/2NMQqRW

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The Arts Commission voted unanimously in October to remove “Early Days,” largely in response to a renewed public outcry following the volatile demonstration in Charlottesville, Va., at the site of a Confederate statue. That rally, which resulted in the death of a counterprotester, sparked a national discussion around removing historical monuments that, to many, glorify racial or cultural oppression.

The Historic Preservation Commission blessed the proposal to take down the sculpture in February, provided that a plaque be put in its place explaining why it had been removed.

Schmid appealed that decision, claiming that it was inconsistent with the city’s standards for removing or altering historic artifacts. He also said that removing the statue — and the historic lesson it can convey about the terrible events of the past — was equivalent to destroying it, drawing comparisons to the destruction of art by Nazis and the Taliban.

But at Wednesday’s hearing, representatives of both commissions clarified that they acted well within their rights under the City Charter. Their arguments persuaded the Board of Appeals to unanimously reverse their previous decision.

“It’s beyond childish,” Schmid said after learning of the statue’s removal early Friday morning. “The only reason they’re doing it like this is to sneak it under the wire.”

Convinced that the law is on his side, Schmid says he will file a federal lawsuit to force the city to return the statue to its pedestal.

The city “broke the law, so they’re going to pay to have it reinstalled,” he said.

“We feel pretty confident about our legal standing,” said Tom DeCaigny, director of cultural affairs with the Arts Commission. “We’ve worked very closely with the city attorney every step of the way to make sure we have all the legal authorities to remove, and we feel pretty good about it.”

After the truck carrying the statue rolled away, the onlookers gathered in a large circle, where Dee Dee Ybarra, an Ohlone tribal leader who advocated for the statue’s removal, led the crowd in a traditional chant and a prayer for empathy and understanding.

The mood was celebratory, yet solemn. Many of the onlookers embraced one another, wiping tears from the corners of their eyes.

“This is what happens when people stand strong and they don’t back down,” Ybarra said. “Anything is possible. Our day is here. Our time has come.”

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa