CITY HALL -- Decrying "racism" and "revisionist history," Italian Americans, lawmakers and cultural groups rallied in support of the Christoper Columbus statue in Columbus Circle on the steps of City Hall Thursday.

Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) organized the rally after Mayor Bill de Blasio refused to pardon the 15th Century explorer from a review of "all symbols of hate on city property" this week.

Some argued Columbus is an important symbol for Italian Americans, while others said Native Americans "were not welcoming to him" and that Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito was a "terrorist" for suggesting the statue should be considered for removal.

"Christopher Columbus is someone who means a great deal for Italian Americans of New York City," Borelli said. "We are concerned about preserving his legacy -- we acknowledge the faults he may have had."

COLUMBUS AS A SYMBOL

Located on the southwestern corner of Central Park, the 76-foot Columbus structure was given to the city by Italian Americans in 1892 after a newspaper organized a fundraiser. Those at the rally said the statue was gifted to thank the city for providing opportunities to Italian immigrants even though many were persecuted here.

"That statue in Columbus Circle does not represent the explorer, it represents the experience of the Italian American immigrant population," said Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn), the former president of the state's Conference of Italian-American State Legislators. "History has many complicated people in it."

Since his death over 500 years ago, Columbus has been both praised as a navigator and explorer, and condemned for his contributions to the

decimation

of Native American populations.

"He was the first European explorer to come this way, to chart this course, to defy the science of his day," Assemblyman Ronald Castorina Jr. said. "And the Italian Americans have always held him in a place of honor." Columbus actually wasn't the first European to come to America, which Castorina acknowledged later in the rally.

Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid-Island) said that historical statues are meant to be educational.

"We're starting down a very dangerous, slippery slope here," Matteo said. "Who's next, what's next?"

90-DAY REVIEW

De Blasio announced the 90-day review of "symbols of hate" last week after deadly violence erupted in Charlottesville, Va. when white supremacist groups protested the removal of a statue of Confederate Army general Robert E. Lee.

The commission, which will be named next week, will assess statues and monuments symbolizing racism or anti-Semitism. They will evaluate each figure and make recommendations before de Blasio makes final decisions.

Borelli and others at the rally said de Blasio should make the panel and list of symbols that could be removed public.

De Blasio said he wouldn't "get into the name game" when he asked if Columbus should go during Wednesday's Democratic primary debate.

"There are no plans to remove the Columbus statue," de Blasio spokeswoman Natalie Grybauskas said on Thursday. "The statue, along with many other pieces, will likely be considered by the committee, who will offer recommendations on specific items as they create guidelines and criteria for amendment or removal of controversial structures."

Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) couldn't be at the rally but said in a text that some are trying to "influence and thus taint any objective review of city monuments."

"You can not single out Christopher Columbus and accuse him of 'offensive oppression' of the indigenous Caribbean peoples without fully coming to terms with and addressing the fact that these early settlements were fully financed and done under the consent and order of Spanish royalty and its government," Titone said. "To do so carries an unfortunate air of anti-Italian sentiment and naivety."

'WE'RE ALL FLAWED'

Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, the Republican nominee for mayor, also defended the Columbus statue on Wednesday.

Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido and comedian Joe Piscopo attended the rally.

"He's flawed -- we're all flawed," Piscopo said. "Hey, I'm flawed. Does that mean I'm not going to get a rest stop named after me on the Jersey Turnpike?"

Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile, who served the East Shore in the state senate and ran against Daniel Donovan for Staten Island's congressional seat, said Columbus "discovered the New World."

"Were there dangers along the way? Yes, there were." Gentile said. "There were Native Americans that were not welcoming to him, so he had to be not only an explorer, but a warrior, too." Gentile would not respond to a follow-up question about this remark.

'THEY WILL DESTROY ETHNIC GROUPS'

Joseph Guagliardo of the National Council Of Columbia Associations said that discussing the statue's removal is "disturbing" and that Mark-Viverito "decided to act as a terrorist" by bringing up it up.

Mark-Viverito's office didn't comment on the "terrorist" remark. At an unrelated press conference on Thursday, the speaker said people should try to understand concerns raised over figures without jumping to conclusions. On Monday, she had pushed for a statue of Dr. J. Marion Sims, who experimented on slaves without anesthesia, to be taken down.

"I want every statue and every historical figure to be reviewed by the commission," she said.

Joseph Sciame, the former president of the Sons of Italy in America, noted at the rally that Columbus didn't even come to North America.

"He didn't harm the people here. This is all nonsense. It's historical revisionist," he said. "And they will destroy America. And they will destroy ethnic groups one by one."