A crane lifts the statue of Vladimir Lenin as workers help to remove it Oct. 14, in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. The mayor of Ulan Bator decided to take down the Soviet era statue because it represented the repression of the Soviet years. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)

The Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator removed its last bronze statue of former Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin. The local mayor described Lenin as a “murderer,” while the statue was being taken down, it was reported on Sunday.

Ulan Bator Mayor Bat-Uul Erdene said the statue would be sold at auction starting at around $280, according to the BBC. The statue was erected 58 years ago.

While the statue was being taken down, around 300 people gathered to watch. Some threw old shoes at it to express their anger at Lenin, who died in 1924.

Bat-Uul said that Mongolia suffered greatly under communist rule throughout much of the 20th century and the Lenin statue is a reminder of the repression from that era. In 1990, Mongolia abandoned communism and underwent economic and democratic reforms.

During Sundays’ ceremony, officials said that more than 30,000 Mongols were persecuted by Lenin, and later, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, reported The Voice of Russia. Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world, with only around 2.7 million people.

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