Louis Krauss, who shared the video of the overthrow, said there were at least 300 people gathered at the scene.
"After it was overturned, the statue broke into several pieces, which were then dragged into the square and thrown into the inner harbor," Krauss told CNN.
The statue has been near Little Italy for over 30 years and is the last to fall in recent weeks amid the protests. Crowds of protesters and local orders have removed other tributes to Columbus, Confederate leaders and other controversial figures representing racist parts of America's history.
Baltimore City Council chair Brandon Scott said in a statement that he had previously suggested removing the statue, according to WBAL.
"I support the Italian-American community in Baltimore and the indigenous community in Baltimore," the statement said. "However, I cannot support Columbus."
CNN contacted the Baltimore Police Servicefor comment.
On Wednesday, the mayor of Richmond, Virginia, used his emergency powers to remove several Confederate monuments throughout the city, including a statue in honor of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. Last month, a judge ordered the removal of a Confederate monument in a suburb of Atlanta.
In other parts of the country, controversial protesters have spilled symbols, including a group from Portland, Oregon, who shot a statue of George Washington last month and set fire to the head. In Richmond, Virginia, the crowd shot down the statue of Jefferson Davis, the President of Confederation, one day after knocking over a statue of Columbus.
CNN's Melissa Alonso and Alta Spells contributed to this report.
