Plea deal signed for activist who toppled Columbus statue

The pedestal which held the statue of explorer Christopher Columbus is shown Friday, June 12, 2020 with the Minnesota State Capitol in the background where a special session of the legislature began in St. Paul, Minn. The statue which stood in place for decades, was pulled down earlier in the week by protesters. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An Indigenous activist accused of toppling a Christopher Columbus statue on state Capitol grounds during a rally over the death of George Floyd will not serve jail time.

A plea agreement finalized Monday between prosecutors and defense attorney states that Mike Forcia must perform 100 hours of community service, write a letter acknowledging the damage he caused and remain law-abiding while on probation for the next year.

The 57-year-old Forcia, a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Twin Cities American Indian Movement activist, was charged with criminal damage to property.