Cast in Stone

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• July 24, 2020, Activists from the Rouge Vert Noir collective issue an ultimatum to Fort-de-France town hall for the removal of the statue of Josephine
• 2020, Manifestation autour de la statue de Paul Bert
  Une banderole « Black Lives Matter » est accrochée sur la statue.
• 2020, Murad Qureshi expresses his opinion of Robert Clive statue in London
  Murad Qureshi, British Labour politician, explained in an interview with the magazine The Week why Robert Clive's statue in London should be removed.
• 2020, National Trust removes Dunham Massey Hall sundial
• 2020, Online petition to change the name of Blackboy Road in Exeter
  The petition, which garnered 2,907 signatures as of April 5th 2024, laid out the following argument for changing the name: "Blackboy Road in Exeter is named after King Charles II. Charles had a darker complexion, different height and features from those around him which led to him being known as "Black boy". I think the fact this hasn't been changed already is insensitive and ignorant so having just moved into the area and learned the history behind the name, I want to see it changed. It's 2020 and we still have a road named after a racist nickname given to one of our monarchs. Please get behind this by signing the petition and sharing with as many people as you can. Thank you."
• 2020, Online petition to remove the Horatio Kitchener statue
  The petition, which had 637 signatories (as of April 2nd 2024), laid out the following argument for the statue's removal: "In life, Lord Kitchener oversaw the first ever concentrations camps during the Boer Wars. Over 100,000 black Africans were captured and while tens of thousands died, no records were kept. 25,000 white women and children died in the camps. Now, Kitchener’s statue overlooks all of Chatham, despite having no connection with the Medway Towns whatsoever. We need to learn our real history, not celebrate those who were responsible for mass suffering. Take Down Kitchener!"
• 2020, Online petition to remove the Neill statue in Ayr
  The petition, which had garnered 1,186 signatures as of April 17th 2024, laid out the following argument for the statue's removal: ""A brave, resolute and self-reliant solider, universally acknowledged as the first who stemmed the torrent of rebellion in Bengal". Thus reads the plaque beneath the statue of James George Smith Neill, that stands pride of place in the centre of our town. But who was this man? James George Smith Neill (27 May 1810 – 25 September 1857) was a Scottish military officer of the East India Company, who served during the Indian rebellion of 1857. The rebellion was born from resentment of invasive British-style social reforms, harsh land taxes and summary treatment of some rich landowners and princes, amongst other injustices. General Neill was infamous for numerous indiscriminate killing of Indians in the aftermath of a local massacre, including the execution of prisoners. In one episode, he is said to have rounded up Brahmins, who had had nothing to do with the event, to wash up the blood of uprising victims from the floor while they were whipped with cat-o-nine-tails until they collapsed. At this point, these innocents were summarily executed by hanging. The statue of Neill is a personal insult to those of us in Ayr whose ancestors suffered under the British occupation of India. Indeed, we believe that the veneration of such a man stands in stark opposition to the values that we would wish to strive for as a town. We who have signed this petition are clear that this man is not a part of our history we wish to be celebrated. It is high time that the statue was removed from its current location. Instead, we implore the council to have it placed in a museum, where it can be used to educate future generations about the role of Scottish military officers in the British Empire."
• 2020, Online petition to remove the Robert Milligan statue
  The petition, which garnered 5,184 supporters, laid out the following argument for the statue's removal: "Robert Milligan (1746-1809) was a leading figure in building the east London docks, in part, to trade in slave-harvested goods from the Caribbean. Milligan owned 526 slaves who worked at his sugar plantation and much of his wealth was acquired through the trade and exploitation of slaves. While we as East Enders and Londoners express our solidarity chanting Black Lives Matter, it is painful to walk past a proud statue of Robert Milligan which was erected to commemorate and celebrate his life. Milligan has no place in London, and he does not deserve the honour of a statue. This should be reserved for those who have fought for equality and social justice this world is desperately crying for. Following the events in Bristol and to express our solidarity to our black brothers and sisters throughout the world it is only right that we remove the proud statue of Robert Milligan from West India Quay in Canary Wharf, Tower Hamlets. As much as we appreciate the value of history, we should not glorify the enslavement of individuals by displaying a statue of a slave trader. The East End has a proud history of fighting against injustice and inequality. Today it is our duty to remove this symbol which only resonates pain, suffering and inhuman treatments of fellow human beings for profit."
• 2020, Online petition to remove the statue of Stapleton Cotton
  The petition, which garnered 1,453 supporters, laid out the following argument for the statue's removal: "Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere was a joint owner of a number of plantations on St Kitts and Nevis between 1822 and 1834. He was appointed the Governor of Barbados in 1817 meaning he was involved with overseeing the operation of plantations, slaves being shipped in and out of the island through purchase and sales of African people and the overall use of slaves on the island. He also received a considerable amount of compensation (around £920,000 in today's currency) for the loss of 420 enslaved people, at the time of release, on his estates. Work began on his monument in 1864 and it was finally erected in October 1865, 8 months after his death. It is said to represent his distinguished cavalry career in the military. The pedestal is even engraved with a list of major conflicts he was involved in, but there is no mention of his links to the slave trade and how he profited from it. Even his Wikipedia page only dedicates a paragraph to his connection whilst his military career is outlined in detail. The statue stands on a “prestigious site” opposite Chester Castle and in January 1972 became a Grade II* listed building meaning it is viewed as a "particularly important building of more than special interest”. We are petitioning to have the statue removed from its “prestigious site” in Chester and possibly placed into a museum where people will be able to learn about Combermere’s full history. We do not believe that the removal of these statues and the changing of street names is the sole way to remove the systemic racism that is deep rooted in our country and its history. It is also not a way for us to try and “remove” the past as this is not possible. We are also not discounting the achievements of these commemorated individuals but rather revealing the reality that comes with / behind some of their success. We do however believe that in doing this we are taking small steps towards educating the UK about our TRUE history and hope that this education will create some change in the fundamental issues our country was built upon."
• 2020, Online petitions to remove the Redvers Buller statue
  Two petitions, which had 386 and 72 signatories respectively (as of April 2nd 2024), laid out the following arguments for the statue's removal. Petition 1: "A statue of Redvers Buller stands at the junction of New North Road and Hele Road in Exeter, outside Exeter College. Buller was a British imperialist. He led the British Army in South Africa, including as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Anglo-Zulu war of 1878 and later as Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in the early months of the Second Boer War in 1899. Under his leadership, the British Army massacred thousands of Zulu people in order to expand the British Empire. We call for the statue of Redvers Buller in Exeter to be removed from its position and placed in the museum for educational purposes. It is not acceptable for Buller to be remembered as a hero of Devon." Petition 2: "Remove the Statue of General Redvers Buller from Hele Road Exeter. Redvers Buller was a General during the Boer War, he had a major hand to play in the introduction of concentration camps in South Africa when the Afrikaans fought the British Empire for their involvement in colonising their country. I am an 18 year old that's lived in Devon all my life and every time I see the statue I am confused and concerned as to why it is there due to Buller being seen as a failure and more importantly a cynical colonialist during this horrific War. Currently, Black Lives Matters is growing and extending across the world and with the Edward Colston statue being taken down in Bristol, I believe that this should also be removed to replace the outdated history with a future that reflects equality and eradicates the horrendous past. I believe that Exeter City Council are currently reviewing it however this is not good enough, the statue needs to be gone. Thank you."
• 2020, Painting and bitumen on the Marchand mission monument
  Red paint on the hands of the Europeans and a large patch of black bitumen on the monument
• 2020, Black paint on the statue of Voltaire in Paris
  Head and base are covered in black paint
• 2020, Red Paint thrown on the statue of Voltaire in Paris
  On the heead and the base
• 2020, Petition to Westminster City Council to remove the statue of Robert Clive
  An e-petition started by Meera Somji ran from 11/06/2020 to 28/07/2020 and gathered 333 signatures. The petitioners argued: 'There are three main reasons to remove the statue: 1. The glorification of a mass murderer and looter in the heart of the nation’s capital is profoundly insulting 2. The location of the statue at the entrance to the FCO tells visitors that the British state condones the murderous activities of Robert Clive. It also tells our civil servants, MPs, and Whitehall staff that they are furthering his work 3. It’s time to improve the education that we receive about the British Empire, which starts with removing a statue that glorifies rather than educates The council can consult on where to preserve the statue. Westminster Council responded that it does not have authority to remove the statue, which is managed and owned by English Heritage, on licence from Historic England, which in turn is under the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
• 2020, Protest graffiti and placard on the statue of Abraham Lincoln
  The letters "A C" were graffitied in front of the ABRAHAM LINCOLN inscription (i.e. ACAB, or All Cops Are Bastards). A placard with the words HATE KILLS LOVE HEALS was placed in Lincoln's arms.
• 2020, Protesters topple statue of Edward Colston
• 2020, Gathering to demand the removal of the Faidherbe statue
  A rally against the statue's presence in the public space was organized by the Faidherbe doit tomber collective. Between 150 and 200 people attended, attracting identitarian militants who stood in front of the statue and threatened the demonstrators, while the regional and national press covered the event.
• 2020, Removal of black boy pub sign in Retford
• 2020, Removal of black man's head pub sign in Ashbourne
• 2020, SEMA supports BLM protests and calls Robert Clive a 'robber-baron'
  On 10 June 2020, SEMA Shropshire Ethnic Minority Alliance, now renamed Shropshire Equality Means Action, posted the following on its Facebook page: 'Several updates for you from SEMA. There is a lot going on, so we will be as brief as possible. This is to point you in the direction of upcoming and ongoing initiatives in Shropshire and Telford Wrekin. We will get to MP Danny K at the end. First some basics for those getting involved. First thing is the BLM Protest. There have been two so far that you may have caught. Ad hoc demonstrations took place in Telford on the 4th and Shrewsbury on the 6th. These were fantastic events that SEMA was not involved in. Many connections were made between different activists, and from there a collective has started up to support one another's mutual aims. The next event is on the 14th, in Telford. 12.30pm in the Telford Town Centre. SEMA supports the students who have organised that event. We encourage people to attend and to follow this instructions on the event page. Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/550401825615605 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blmshrewsbury/ On the 19th is the massive event in Birmingham for which we will contribute several local actions. Your creative involvement is welcome. These pop-up actions and group spaces will revolve around key themes and ongoing focuses for SEMA and for anti-racism work in this part of the country. Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1334259970103186 This also involves lots of people who are not under the SEMA umbrella, but who we are working alongside and in support of. Such actions/projects involve: 1. Video and podcast interviews made by local young activists, detailing aspects of the current struggle, profiling leaders from the generations before, and linking generations and communities together to work for a better West Midlands. 2. Creating anti-racism curricula and working with national organisations doing the same in order to reevaluate and update the (lack of) education that has been the story so far in these counties and much of the country. 3. Promoting and supporting non-affiliated efforts already underway, such as Refugee Week (15-21 June) and Windrush Day (22 June) and the organisations and individuals that head those up. 4. Develop SEMA into an organisation. Our inaugural event was in February. It is now time to move forward and into the vision for which we were formed. This new organisation is emerging out of the conversations and efforts above. Now for Mr. Kawczynski. The Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham has spoken on the "huge pluses" and "tremendous source for good" of the Empire. MP Kawczynski's comments are an insulting cover up of the truth of the oppression and plunder done in Empire's name; its basic function and meaning for those it ruled over in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania is one of robbery, misery and murder. We are beyond tired of the likes of MP Kawczynski and other enthusiasts for murder and oppression. Our official response is on its way, including recommendations for reading material in DK's "blow by blow account" being undertaken on the life and times of the robber-baron, Robert Clive. Your sincerely, the ad hoc organising committee of the Shropshire Ethnic Minority Alliance'
• 2020, Shropshire Council discusses petitions to remove the statue of Clive
  In a virtual meeting held on 16 July 2020, the Shropshire Council discussed the following under Public Questions: "A petition, bearing over 1000 signatures has been received from Jake Thompson, requesting a debate under the Council’s Petition Scheme. The petition requests that the Council: Remove Clive of India statue from Shrewsbury town centre The petitioner will be allowed 5 minutes to outline their case, after which there may be a debate of up to a maximum of 15 minutes. Minutes: Public Questions The Speaker advised that six public questions had been received from Mr Parton, Mr Femor, Mr Streetly, Mr Tate, Mr Holmes-Brown on behalf of Shropshire Ethnic Minority Alliance and Ms Dolphin. All questions were read aloud on the questioners’ behalf by the Director of Legal and Democratic Services and received answers from the respective Portfolio Holders. Mr Femor, Mr Tate and Mr Streetly were advised that written answers would be provided. It was noted that a copy of the questions and answers would be included with the formal record of the meeting. Petitions The Speaker advised that a petition bearing more than 1,000 signatures to remove the Clive of India Statue from Shrewsbury Town Centre had been received from Mr Jake Thomson requesting a debate. Mr Thomson did not provide a written submission Members debated the petition and made the following points: · The Black Lives Matter debate welcomed; · It was important to understand other’s experiences and injustices; · Clive was now recognised a corrupt mercenary; · A better explanation of the history of Clive was required; and · It was not possible to rewrite history but it was important to be able to understand it. The Portfolio Holder for Assets, Economic Growth and Regeneration responded by thanking the petitioner for the work he had undertaken in presenting the petition. He continued that it was a divisive debate but all agreed that there was no place for racism. To remove the statue was not as simple as it would seem. It was classified as a grade 2 listed building and its removal or destruction would require approval from Historic England. He acknowledged that the colonial past of Britain was a reality and should not be forgotten but used to inform the future. Museum staff had been requested to provide a better interpretation of the statue and locate this appropriately. RESOLVED: That no action be taken.
• 2020, Statue of Jan Smuts is graffitied
  The statue of Smuts was graffitied with the BLM (Black Lives Matter) tag.
• 2020, Statue of John Witherspoon graffitied
  The words "BLM" (Black Lives Matter) and "slave-owner" were graffitied on the plinth of the statue, in protest of Witherspoon's slave-ownership.
• 2020, Statue of Queen Victoria graffitied
  The memorial was sprayed extensively with graffiti. Some of the various tags included "SLAVE-OWNER", "MURDERER", "JUSTICE", "BLM", "EDUCATE" and "SL*G".
• 2020, Statue of Robert Dundas graffitied
  The words "SON OF SLAVER + COLONIALIST PROFITEER", "GEORGE FLOYD" and "BLM" were graffitied on the plinth of the statue, as well as the pedestal.
• 2020, the hands of the Robert Geffrye statue are painted red
  The following message, painted in red, was also left behind at the gatepost of the Museum of the Home: 'The blood on Geffrye’s hands is the blood of our ancestors'
• 2020, The statue of Henry Vassall-Fox is protested in an act of guerilla memorialisation
  A board with the words "I owned 401 slaves" was placed on the statue of Vassal-Fox, whose hands and face were painted red. Several hand prints and the number 401 were left on the plinth of the statue.
• 2021-2022, Protest movement in Guadeloupe and Martinique against compulsory vaccination.
  The obligation for health-care workers to be vaccinated against Covid 19 met with strong opposition in Guadeloupe and Martinique, in a context where the management of the health crisis was different from that in mainland France, and where the health of the inhabitants of the Antilles was still very poorly taken into account and cared for by the public authorities (lack of resources and personnel in the health services; chlordecone scandal). From November onwards, opposition hardened and a curfew was imposed, leading to demonstrations, a general strike and urban violence.
• 2021, Artistic performance by Deborah de Robertis on the monument to Gallieni in Paris
  On 26 September 2021, an artistic performance by Deborah de Robertis, feminist artist, takes place on the monument to Gallieni. Six naked Mariannes, only wearing an phrygian cap, climb on the monument an pour red paint from between their legs, symbolizing blood dropping down their genitals. On Twitter, the artist elaborated on her performance: « La statue a un sexe : c’est un sexe d’homme. Le colon est un homme, le tyran est un homme, le dictateur est un homme. Ce qu’ils ont en commun est une bite : la colonisation est un viol. Caméras au front, les corps - sortant de leur statut d’objet, deviennent sujets. Les femmes violent le Pouvoir, et non l’inverse. Les Mariannes nous regardent, en femmes fontaines, éjaculent à la face du colon, jouissant de violer le pouvoir. Le renversement par l'art opère à la suite de siècles de silence, il est le résultat d’une recherche et d’une pensée conceptuelle. Le renversement n’est pas un accident de l’Histoire mais un accouchement, dans la douleur et dans le sang." The city of Paris pressed charges for "dégradation de bien public"
• 2021, Artistic prank by Ivan Argote on the monument to Gallieni in Paris
  On April 19 2021, visual artist Ivan Argote published a video of a small team of people lifting Gallieni's statue away from the monument with a crane (see references). The French newspaper Regards published it as the city of Paris removing the statue, but this was only an artistic performance enhanced with visual effects to imagine new potential futures for Paris and the monument. When Regards posted this on social media, panic ensued, and officials from the city of Paris rushed to the scene to see that the monument was intact; they posted a photo on their twitter accoun asking Regards to stop publishing fake news. This jumpstarted a debate on social media, almost a year after the wave of contestations against this monument.
• 2021, Debate and consultation on whether to keep or remove the statue of Napoleon in Rouen
  On the occasion of the removal of the statue for restoration, and in the context of the worldwide movement to challenge statues linked to the history of colonization in public space and to demand the inclusivity of this space, the Socialist mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, has expressed the wish to replace it with a statue of the feminist and anti-colonial activist Gisèle Halimi (1927-2020). He submitted the proposal to remove the Napoleon statue to a democratic consultation: in December 2021, Rouen residents were invited to vote online on the city's website, either for the return of the Napoleon statue to its original plinth, or for its removal and replacement by a female figure. This proposal has sparked considerable controversy, with many on the right and extreme right taking a stand. The newspaper Le Figaro devoted several articles to the subject, and reported the opinion of Jonas Haddad, president of the Seine-Maritime Republicans: removing the statue would be tantamount to recognizing that the country is developing “a culture of repentance”. (Stéphane Kovacs, “À Rouen, les habitants invités à voter pour conserver ou non la statue de Napoléon”, Published 06/12/2021). Two petitions were posted on line to oppose the statue's removal and demand its return to its original location: the first, created by “L'Histoire à la Française”, called for “Defending our heritage”, and mocked: “As the Mayor of Rouen is so fond of female figures in the name of equality, why not put Joan of Arc, burned by the English in this very city on May 30, 1431, on it? Or how about Charlotte Corday? The Norman heroine who killed the revolutionary Marat! The petition received 21,758 signatures. The second, created by the right-wing student union UNI (which also organized a demonstration in Rouen), believes that the left is “taking part in the deconstruction of our history”; it states: “At UNI, we are proud of the heritage left by Napoleon, who is one of the greatest figures in our history, and we demand the return of this equestrian statue to its original location. This monument has withstood two world wars, it will withstand socialism! The petition received 4,700 signatures and 900 comments of support. The controversy spread nationwide, and the debate over the fate of the statue of Napoleon became, for the right and extreme right, a symbol of the rise of “cancel culture” in France. Historian Thierry Lentz, director of the Fondation Napoléon and one of the few French historians to have taken a public stance on the “debunking” issue, declared in the columns of Le Figaro on September 26, 2021: “It's respect for our history that's at stake.
• 2021, Black tulle is placed on the statue of General Leclerc
  As part of the Heritage Days celebrations, black tulle was placed over the statue, works by painter Roland Delelo were placed in front of the base and the cartel was covered by a cardboard case with another text.
• 2021, Kill the Bill protest in Bristol
• 2021, The statue of Mahé de la Bourdonnais is painted pink
• 2021, The bust of Charles de Gaulle is torn from its base and removed
  On the night of November 27-28, 2021, the bust of Charles de Gaulle was torn from its base and removed. It was found tagged with red, green and black paint on November 28 at the Mahault traffic circle in Lamentin, on top of a coffin sprayed with red paint, amidst burnt-out cars and empty alcohol bottles.
• 2021, The monument to Victor Schœlcher is decapitated and tagged
  On the night of March 5-6, 2021, the bust of Victor Schœlcher was removed from its base and tagged. Inscriptions were spray-painted in black: “JM Sonjé!!!”, “Fier d'être colonisé?” and three colors, red, green and black, were also spray-painted.
• 2021, Robert Clive's descendant expresses disapproval of the Clive statue in Shrewsbury
  In an interview with Sathnam Sanghera for Channel 4's Empire State of Mind, John Herbert, the 8th Earl of Powis stated that he wished the statue of his ancestor, Lord Clive, was not placed in the centre of the town of Shrewsbury. He said, "“There was very much a request to bring it down and there were quite strong feelings. The council resolved in the end to keep it but put a plaque on it that will tell us more. But they haven’t put the plaque on. I’ve often wondered if it ought to come down. It’s very imperial and I’ve never been very comfortable with it. I’ve always wished it wasn’t here, put it that way.”
• 2021, Tail of the horse of equestrian statue of William III in Glasgow broken
• 2022 , White paint on another statue by Ousmane Sow in Besançon, France
  The hands and face of another statue by Ousmane Sow, "L'homme et l'enfant", installed in Besançon since 2013, are covered in white paint. The town hall lodges a complaint
• 2022, All Souls College installs a light projection on the Christopher Codrington statue to commemorate the enslaved people on the Codrington plantations
  The light projection projects a sequence of the names of enslaved people who worked on the Codrington plantations in the early eighteenth century.
• 2022, Attack on Abdelkader monument
  On February 5, 2022, the day it was inaugurated, the monument was cut out using a portable disk saw
• 2022,"Traces and memory of slavery in the Val d'Oise" symposium, Pontoise
  Conference organized by the Val d'Oise Federation of the Libre Pensée and the Association Laïque des Amis de Maria Deraismes. This symposium was also co-organized by the departmental associations of the LDH, the Ligue de l'Enseignement and the FRANCAS. It took place as part of the "journée des mémoires de la traite, de l'esclavage et de leur abolition" (day of remembrance of the slave trade, slavery and its abolition).
• 2022, Councillors debate Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock recommendations
  The Chair of the Review Panel, Councillor Bennett, introduced the report and advised that since the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, the Council had committed to carrying out consultation with its communities and undertaking a review of any street and building names, statues and architectural features in the district that may have been considered offensive. They thanked the Review Panel for all of the work they had put into the review over the last 11 months. A public consultation had been launched in 2021 and over 1600 responses were received which helped the panel to compile the recommendations laid out in the report. The Review Panel had concluded, following the consultation, that the Blackboy Clock and Statue should not be on display in the public realm but should be redisplayed with detailed interpretation in a place that provided learning and education. The recommendation that Council was being asked to consider was to explore if removal of the statue could be achieved. Councillor Bennett also drew Members attention to the additional recommendations of the Review Panel. Councillor Bennett invited some of the Review Panel Members, who attended the meeting, to give their thoughts. Mr Guthrie, community representative on the Review Panel, highlighted the following: · They had written to the council in June 2020 regarding the clock · Thanked the Review Panel members, family and friends for support · They had taken the time to read through the 1600 responses and take on board what the consultations responses said. · Asked Members to think of the report as a series of starting points rather than an ending · The conversation about how the district could become more inclusive for everybody needed to continue. Ms Hoskin, community representative on the Review Panel, highlighted the following: · Impressed by the thoroughness of Stroud District Council in conducting the public consultation and the processing of the results. · People were beginning to realise that diversity enriched communities. · Encouraged by the proposal of a task force that could implement some of the ideas. Mr Butler, historian and member of Radical Stroud on the Review Panel, highlighted the following: · The conception of education should go beyond the demographic of youth. · Resources should be developed for community education in a variety of accessible ways, means and media. · Community education could strengthen community cohesion. The chair thanked the Review Panel members. Councillor Pearson raised concerns regarding the validity of the consultation results and whether it was a representative snapshot of views across the district. Councillor Bennett confirmed that based on the electorate for the district, which was around 96000, a representative sample would be 1,058 with a margin of error of 3%. The number of consultation responses received was above the numbers needed for a standard representative sample for the district. In response to further questions from Councillor Pearson, Councillor Bennett confirmed that until January 2022 they believed that the residents of the building owned the clock and statue and they had consulted with them. However, it became apparent that the clock and statue had been put into a trust 20 years ago, they had contacted the trustees however they had not been able to respond and so they had been in contact with a member of their family instead. CouncillorGreen asked whether Stroud Town Council had provided any funds to repair the clock and statue following an application for a grant. It was confirmed that they had received a grant from the Town Council. Councillor Green also questioned whether a plaque should be provided on the building and a further consultation carried out once the contextual information had been added. This was so that the public could revaluate whether the information provided changed their views as to removal. Councillor Bennett advised that it was their plan to provide a plaque even if the clock and statue had not been removed but had received very strong responses in favour of removal. In response to questions from Councillor Braun, Brown and Studdert-Kennedy the following was confirmed: · They wanted the communities to help shape any future community events or commemorations and that the task force would help to progress this work. · They were hoping that schools would be encouraged to use this as a way to educate pupils on the issues surrounding the Blackboy Clock and Statue and the task force would be engaging with communities. · The figure of £33.5k was for the relocation of the clock and statue and further information on the financials were included in the implications on page 78. · The plaque would not be placed on the building but would be placed nearby. Councillor Sutton raised concerns over the removal of the clock and statue and stated that he had spoken to many people who thought it should remain in situ. Councillor Bennett reminded Members that they were not recommending that the statue was removed immediately but that they should pursue removal based on the results of the consultation. Councillor Patrick asked questions regarding Blackboys Road in Dursley. Councillor Bennett confirmed that the recommendation was for a consultation to be carried out with the residents of the 8 houses in conjunction with Dursley Town Council and that a larger consultation had not been ruled out. Proposed by Councillor Bennett and seconded by Councillor Cornell. Councillor Pearson acknowledged the extensive work that had been carried out by the review panel but stated that the implications of the project had not been thought through and it had been poorly costed. He further stated that there was no guarantee that the statue would go to the Museum in the Park and that the consultation did not provide a true representation of the district. He stated that a more thorough consultation should take place. Councillor Aldam advised that they understood the concerns regarding manipulating history or destroying it and provided reassurance that history didn’t change but how we see it could. Councillor Jones stated that following Councillor Aldams’ statement he had been tempted to change his decision and thanked the Review Panel who had produced one of the most thorough pieces of work he had seen. He highlighted his concerns with the budget and the consultation results not being representative. He also drew Members’ attention to Historic Englands position which stated ‘parts of our heritage may confront us with aspects of our past which we now question, which may be associated with injustice and which may be painful. It is right that as a society we respond to such associations, but we believe that this is best done, not by removal, but by preservation, and responding to them in ways which can explain their context and prompt reflection”. Councillor James thanked the Review Panel members and stated that we should be removing the statue and clock and put it into a museum as leaving it where it was would be a mistake. They stated that the statue and clock would not be erected now and therefore we needed to acknowledge that and remove it. Councillor Turner stated that the finances were not exact at this point however they were confident the final figures would be robustly interrogated by the Section 151 Officer. They also confirmed that the majority of responses were in favour of removal and that the statue was not in its first home and had been moved previously, it therefore did not need to be the final location for the statue. Councillor Evans queried whether a plaque could be included on the anti-slavery arch so that the good and bad sides of history were on display. Councillor Braun reminded members of the statement that the political group leaders had released in 2020 condemning racism. They also stated that there had been many residents who had responded to the issue and that they need to listen to what people were telling them. They drew Member’s attention to page 102 and stated that if the recommendations were approved then they would proceed at every stage with community engagement. Councillor Cornell commended Members for the level of respectful debate at the meeting and thanked the Review Panel for all their work. Councillor Cornell reminded Members of the anonymous email they had received prior to the start of the review. The email stated that the figurine wasn’t based on a specific individual but served as a monument to the commodification and later exotification of black bodies that emerged as a result of slavery and that the statue was symbolic of systemic racism. They stated that if all the recommendations were implemented their understanding of the past would be enriched, and would be enhanced. Councillor Bennett confirmed that a robust process had been followed and that the recommendations would make a positive difference. They urged Members to vote in favour. On being put to the vote, the Motion was carried with 26 votes in favour, 2 against and 12 abstentions. RESOLVED To a) Thank the Review Panel for their contribution to this work; and b) Accept all recommendations of the Review Panel outlined in section 4 of this report.
• 2022, The statue to Colonel Georges de Villebois-Mareuil receives red paint and its base is tagged
  On the evening of January 21, 2022, while members of the far-right attended a mass in memory of Louis XVI, guillotined on January 21, 1793, far-left activists organized a demonstration. During the demonstration, the statue was sprayed with red paint and the base was tagged, most likely due to Villebois-Mareuil's involvement with the extreme right at the end of the 19th century: he was one of the founders of Action Française in 1899. Nantes City Hall states that no direct physical intervention was carried out on the statue because of its involvement in colonization and the Boer War
• 2022, The statue of Charles de Gaulle receives red paint
  On the night of December 8-9, 2022, the palms of the statue's hands were painted red, and a red stain was made on its chest, in place of the heart. The A for Anarchy is spray-painted in black on the statue's base.
• 2022, National news coverage of Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock recommendations
• 2022, White paint on the face of the statue of Victor Hugo
  Dans la nuit du 20 au 21, le visage de Victor Hugo est recouvert de peinture blanche. Sur les réseaux sociaux, les deux étudiants responsables postent une photo d’eux avec la statue vandalisée et une pancarte « White Lives Matter ». La ville de Besançon porte plainte pour vandalisme
• 2022, Removal of plaque below Blackboy Clock
  A black informational plaque attached to the railings below the Blackboy Clock was removed by an unknown individual. The text of the removed plaque read as follows: "The Blackboy Clock was made by John Miles of Kendrick Street, Stroud in 1774. It is the only working Jack Clock movement in Gloucestershire. It was restored by Mr A J Nicholls, MBHI, of Bristol in 2004 with assistance from Stroud Town and Stroud District Councils."
• 2022, Stroud District Council announces Blackboy Clock recommendations
  More than 1,600 responses to a Stroud District Council-led review of street or building names and monuments helped inform recommendations which elected members will carefully consider next week. Recommendations under consideration could start a process leading to the removal of the Blackboy clock and statue from its current location in Stroud, following concerns raised by residents in the wake of the Black Lives Matters protests of 2020. Recommendations include: The Council consult with the legal owner of the statue and the clock to secure its removal. If listed building consent is received and the statue and clock removed, the statue and clock is offered to The Museum in the Park collection. Blackboy House is renamed. The Council should undertake a review of the street name ‘Blackboys’, Dursley. The Council should progress plans for the restoration of the Anti-Slavery Arch, Paganhill, and a task force established by the Council to contextualise the statue and oversee the installation of an information plaque outside Blackboy House, and develop a community project for the commemoration of an individual, group of individuals or event suggested in the survey responses. The Council’s street naming protocol is reviewed so that names will not be considered that may be construed as discriminatory or offensive under the Equality Act 2010; or those which could be considered as ‘not in the spirit’ of this act, will not be considered. The Council’s Culture Strategy, which is currently in development, should empower communities and individuals to celebrate and share their history, heritage, culture and identity, focus on increasing representation of Black, Asian and Ethnically diverse communities as well as those from a range of social and economic backgrounds, celebrate aspects of the district’s cultural and community diversity, encourage and support the creation of work that demonstrates collaboration across a wide range of diverse backgrounds The day after the Edward Colston statue was toppled into Bristol Harbour on June 7, 2020, all four Stroud District Council political group leaders issued a joint statement reaffirming the council’s commitment to promoting equality and tackling discrimination, then actions were outlined including consulting on any street and building names, statues and architectural features that may be considered offensive. Subsequently, district residents raised concerns about Blackboy Statue, Blackboy House, Castle Street, Stroud and called on the council to consider its removal. SDC established a Review Panel to undertake a public consultation and review of streets, statues and monuments across the district including Blackboy Statue as part of this review. Academics and historians were invited to be part of a Review Panel and three community representatives were recruited through an open application process. The Review Panel carefully researched, analysed, and debated evidence on the origins of the Blackboy Clock and Statue. As well as this, the Panel received and considered more than 1600 responses to a public consultation which ran from Wednesday7 July 2021 to Wednesday 1 September 2021. The clock is dated 1774 and is an unusual example of a Jacquemart clock, designed by John Miles and originally set on the front of his shop in Kendrick Street, Stroud before being moved to the Duke of York pub in Nelson Street, Stroud before being bought by subscription and finally installed on the front of the National School for Girls, now known as Blackboy House, Castle Street, Stroud. Since 1974, Blackboy House has been listed as a Grade II building and freehold is owned by Blackboy House Management Company Limited. However the statue and clock belong to The Blackboy Clock Trust. The key findings from the survey were: 79% of respondents felt the statue should be removed 59% felt the statue should be placed in a museum 22% felt the statue should remain where it is A broad spread of people/groups to potentially commemorate were suggested The consultation did not identify any individuals who were central to the slave trade as having have been commemorated, although there are beneficiaries of hereditary wealth and colonialism within the district. The survey responses made clear that the statue causes pain and offence but it should not be hidden from the public, instead put in a place where an interpretation can be provided, providing learning and education so that we can continue to challenge what is no longer acceptable, provoke thinking and to demonstrate that change is needed. Most Blackboy House residents supported removal of the statue though some wanted to keep the clock. The Review Panel is consulting with a family member of the trustees of the Blackboy Clock Trust, who are unable to comment, however conversations with the family member continue. Any removal would need Listed Building Consent, and under new national regulations if a council intends to grant LBC and Historic England objects, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will make a final decision. Any artefact offered to a museum must fit its collecting policy in order to be accepted into the collections. The Review Panel also considered that regardless of the origins, the street name of Blackboys in Dursley causes offence. Other reviews have taken place for similar names across the country which have resulted in name changes. There are 8 properties on this street with a ‘Blackboys’ address and the Review Panel recommend that the council consults with the residents of Blackboys to consider renaming the street. All elected members will consider the report at the Full Council meeting on Thursday, April 28. Councillor Natalie Bennett, who chairs the Review Panel said: “Consulting with the public was a positive action for SDC to have taken and enabled a democratic, transparent and open process to be followed. The Review Panel has taken time to carefully consider the responses and a complex set of issues before making recommendations. Key to moving this work forward will be the ongoing involvement of our communities so that we can continue to take a collective and collaborative approach to equalities, diversity and inclusion in our district. Review Panel member Dan Guthrie said: “Being a part of this review panel over the last few months has been an interesting experience, and I hope people take the time to read through and think about the recommendations we have come up with. Hopefully, these recommendations will help us to continue conversations about how our district can become a more inclusive place for everybody living in it, and potentially start new ones off too.” Council Leader Doina Cornell added: “This review was undertaken in response to the rightful challenge posed to us all by the Black Lives Matter movement and by local residents, to tackle systemic racism, and is part of a wider piece of work that the council has undertaken. I'm grateful to the panel for all the work they've put into this and how they have ensured that their recommendations reflect our community's views as to what next steps are needed.” The full report can be read at https://stroud.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=143&MId=1143&Ver=4 The meeting can be viewed online at the council’s YouTube channel, either live or recorded: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeH_AmF0s-TShcYlM8Stweg/videos
• 2023, Black Boy Lane in London renamed to La Rose Lane