Bristol (UK), protesters tear down monument of a 17th century slave trader

Protest by the Black Lives Matter movement also invades monuments: It happened in Bristol, U.K., where a demonstration protesting the death of George Floyd, the 48-year-old man killed during a police stop last May 25 in Minnesota, U.S., ended ended with the toppling of a bronze monument dedicated to Edward Colston (1636 - 1721), a merchant and trader of African slaves who, between 1672 and 1689, is estimated to have brought more than 80,000 African men, women and children to America, 19,000 of whom are thought to have died on the journey. Colston, however, was celebrated in the United Kingdom (with statues and with the naming of several streets) for his philanthropic activities: from the proceeds of his various activities, he financed the construction of schools, hospitals, hospices, and churches in Bristol, London, and other cities in the kingdom.

In the video circulated on social media, one can distinctly see the entire sequence of the felling: the slinging of the bronze statue, the fall, and the crowd pouncing on the monument, kicking it, smearing it, and rolling it down the street. Eventually, the statue, made in 1895 to a design by sculptor John Cassidy (1860 - 1939), was thrown into the waters of Bristol Harbor. In one of the photographs, a protester also knelt on the statue’s neck, reenacting the act by which George Floyd was killed. The base of the statue was then covered with lettering praising the Black Lives Matter movement.

Even before the tearing down, Colston’s figure was very divisive, by virtue of his background as a slave trader (much of his wealth was owed to this very activity): campaigns had already begun in the past (some of which ended successfully) to demand that the naming of schools or streets that still bore his name be changed. The monument had remained in place, however, and the protesters took it by force. The organizers of the demonstration, however, distanced themselves from the action, stating that those responsible for taking down the monument would have nothing to do with the movement.

The demonstration was attended by about ten thousand people. Police, however, are investigating the pulling down of the Colston statue. “A small group of people,” said Superintendent Andy Bennett, “clearly committed a criminal act by pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbor. An investigation will begin to identify the people involved: we are already collecting footage of the incident.”

Bristol (UK), protesters tear down monument of a 17th century slave trader

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