Thomas Jefferson statue toppled outside high school in Portland

A statue of Thomas Jefferson has been toppled and defaced in Portland, Oregon with the words "slave owner" graffitied on the pedestal where it once stood.

These photos, taken by Genevieve Reaume of KATU News, shows the former president and founding father lying on the ground a few meters from its original place.

These photos were taken outside Jefferson High School with the defacement of the statue seemingly taking place over the weekend.

The vandals also placed a peace sign over the spot where the Jefferson statue stood. The high school, itself, remained untouched by the protestors.

Video footage shows multiple protestors toppling and attacking the statue with a hammer.

Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States and is considered the primary author of the declaration of independence.

To this day, Jefferson remains considered as one of America's greatest presidents through his role in combating the Barbary pirates, his emphasis on individual rights and cementing the separation of church and state.  

Despite all this, Jefferson has become controversial in recent years due to his ownership of slaves. During his presidency, however, Jefferson signed the "Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves" which prohibited the importation of slaves into the United States.