Cast in Stone

How to cite this page Comment citer cette page

Items

• 2021, Inauguration of the statue of Charles de Gaulle on the forecourt of Metz station
  In July 2020, the Eska-Derichebourg group donated the statue to the city of Metz. Not all members of the city council are in favor of this donation, due to the group's wage policy, particularly its redundancies, and the constraints it places on the city, in particular the cost of maintenance.
• 2021, Kill the Bill protest in Bristol
• 2021, The statue of Mahé de la Bourdonnais is painted pink
• 2021, The statue of Modeste Testas is discovered coated with white matter
  On September 13, 2021, the head and upper body of Modeste Testas were discovered smeared with white paint. The media and social networks denounced this as a racist act, and the city lodged a complaint, against a backdrop where, in Bordeaux, rainbow crosswalks have been defaced with white paint, and where, across France, the throwing of white paint at statues of people living in slavery, resisting slavery or considered non-white is part of the extreme right's repertoire of action. The very next day, an art student explained that he had coated the statue with plaster to make a wild mold. According to the student concerned, this intervention was not intended as an attack or transformation, but rather as an “act of remembrance”. The city has decided to withdraw its complaint.
• 2021, The "Pantheon of the Forgotten" in Sarcelles
  A traveling memorial proposed by "SOS racisme association" as part of the European Heritage Days: photographs of personalities forgotten in the usual narrative, including the Martinique intellectual Paulette Nardal, are projected onto a plaster bust. The first stage took place in Sarcelles, with schoolchildren in front of the Césaire bust.
• 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, Amboise town council votes to erect a monument to Abdelkader.
• 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, Local news coverage of Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock consultation
• 2021, National and right wing news coverage of Blackboy Clock consultation
• 2021, Oriel College, Oxford installs a contextualisation plaque at the base of the Rhodes statue
  The text of the plaque reads as follows: This building was constructed by Oriel College in 1909-11 with money left in the will of Cecil John Rhodes (1853-1902), a former student of the college. The college commissioned a series of statues to front the building which included Rhodes at the top. Rhodes, a committed British colonialist, obtained his fortune through exploitation of minerals, land, and peoples of southern Africa. Some of his activities led to great loss of life and attracted criticism in his day and ever since. In recent years, the statue has become a focus for public debate on racism and the legacy of colonialism. In June 2020, Oriel College declared its wish to remove the statue but is not doing so following legal and regulatory advice.
• 2021, Paul Bert le "crooner"
  La statue de Paul Bert fait partie des œuvres du patrimoine local mises en scène dans une vidéo partagée sur les réseaux sociaux par la mairie d’Auxerre, en attendant la réouverture des musées au public. Paul Bert est transformé en crooner chantant « Only you
• 2021, Removal of the Governor Olry statue
  On April 6, 2020, the Nouméa City Council unanimously approved the measure proposed by Mayor Sonia Lagarde: the Olry statue will be moved to the gardens of the city museum and replaced by a sculpture depicting the handshake between Jacques Lafleur and Jean-Marie Tjibaou, who in 1988 concluded the Matignon Accords providing for a ten-year period of projects before a referendum on New Caledonian independence. In addition, the square where the statue is located, also named after Olry, will be renamed Place de la paix. These measures and the prefiguration of the new square are presented to the public on October 29, 2020 by Sonia Lagarde, in the presence of Sébastien Lecornu, Minister for Overseas France. On July 16, 2021, the Olry statue, packed and tied up, was lifted by a crane truck to a temporary location. A Dumbéa-based company specializing in stone-cutting and architectural restoration, Pierre et Patrimoine, set about dismantling the stones contained in the statue's base.
• 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, Sentencing for degradation of monument to Colbert in Paris
  The activist from Brigade Anti-Négrophobie was sentenced by the Paris court to a 500 EUR fine and to pay 1,040 EUR to the Assemblée Nationale cover the costs of cleaning the Colbert statue. The defense appealed the decision, and planned to press charges against the State for "apologie de crime contre l'humanité" for leaving Colbert's statue in front of the Assemblée Nationale
• 2021, Siobhan Baillie MP press release on the Blackboy Clock
• 2021, Sir Trevor Philips explains his views in connection with his appointment to the Heritage Advisory Board
  Sir Trevor Philips said that he had no objection to things changing, but he wanted people to be more honest about their motives, and to focus on real issues, rather than cultural 'window-dressing' such as renaming things and removing statues.
• 2021, Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock consultation closes
  Stroud District Council provided the following summary: "One thousand six hundred responses have been received on a Stroud District Council consultation in to reviewing street or building names and monuments. The consultation has now closed and the review panel, drawn from community representatives, councillors and historians will consider the responses and publish its recommendations. “Thank you to everyone who responded to the survey, we received over 1600 responses,” said Councillor Natalie Bennett, who chairs the panel. “The Review Panel will now carefully consider all responses received before making their recommendations to Council later in the year.” The review was held in response to concerns raised during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, to ensure street names, statues and commemorations represent local people’s values and a modern, inclusive council. The review included gathering views on the Blackboy Clock in Stroud. The review also asked for nominations of other names, particularly of under-represented groups, who have done something memorable and who should be celebrated."
• 2021, Stroud District Council launches Blackboy Clock consultation
  Stroud District Council made the following announcement on the consultation: "We are asking residents to tell us if there are monuments, plaques, buildings, street names or other representations of history that they feel don’t align with the values we want to live by. We are launching an 8 week consultation to gather views on our draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy as well. Review of street or building names and monuments in the district In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement brought to the world’s attention important issues relating to on-going racism in society. An important issue that was raised related to ensuring that commemorations of history are appropriate to the current time and the Council committed to consult with the community on any street names, buildings and statues within the district that may be considered offensive. This review is to ensure statues and commemorations, as well as the names of streets and buildings, are representative of local people’s values and those of a modern, inclusive Council. As part of this review we want to ensure that the diversity of our communities is appropriately reflected so we’re also asking for nominations of other names, particularly of under-represented groups, who have done something memorable and who we should celebrate. This consultation therefore also invites the consideration for future recognition of individuals or events that celebrate diversity and important events in our recent history. Feedback from the consultation will also be used to help determine a future approach to public spaces. Hearing from people through this consultation about what’s important to them will help us ensure that in future the different histories and achievements are reflected. Residents are also being asked what they think and feel about the Blackboy Clock, Blackboy House, Castle Street, Stroud and a comprehensive report detailing its history and what we know about the statue and the clock has been published with the consultation documents. A Review Panel made up of community representatives, councillors and historians will review the findings to determine the action that should be taken. The suggestions received will be reviewed with a range of possible outcomes including but not limited to relocation, the addition of explanatory information, renaming or removal. In some cases, it may be decided that no action is necessary at all. The Review Panel will then publish it’s recommendations based on the representations made. “We want to ensure that statues and commemorations, as well as the names of streets and buildings, are representative of local people’s values and those of a modern, inclusive Council,” said Cllr Natalie Bennett who chairs the Review Panel. “We have an opportunity to celebrate the diverse communities which make up the Stroud District and to recognise the achievements of people from black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities and from other underrepresented groups that may have been overlooked in the past. Hearing from people through this consultation about what’s important to them will help us achieve this.” "
• 2021, Stroud District Council press release - 'Community Representatives needed for Review Panel'
  The text of the press release ran as follows: Stroud District Council is set to review street and building names, statues and architectural features to ensure they represent the community’s values – and we want to recruit two community representatives to help with this. As part of its response to issues raised by the Black Lives Matter movement last year, the Council committed to undertake a review and community consultation of any street and building names, statues and architectural features to ensure they are representative of local peoples’ values, the unique history and heritage of Stroud district, and those of an inclusive Council. The Council will start this consultation in May and is setting up a Review Panel to analyse responses and put forward any appropriate recommendations. The Panel will consist of members of the Council’s Equality Working Group and external representatives. We also want to make sure that the views of our communities are included on the Review Panel, so we are recruiting two Community Representatives. The consultation will work within new laws announced by Government in January which say all historic statues, plaques and other monuments will now require full planning permission to remove, ensuring due process and local consultation in every case, and that the law will make clear that historic monuments should be retained and explained ...
• 2021, Tail of the horse of equestrian statue of William III in Glasgow broken
• 2021, Task and Finish Group, The Slave Trade and the British Empire - An Audit of Commemoration in Wales
  In July 2020 the First Minister of Wales appointed a Task and Finish Group to audit public monuments, street and building names in Wales associated with the slave trade and the British Empire and also touching on the historical contributions to Welsh life of people of Black heritage. The Task and Finish group was made up of Gaynor Legall (Chair), Dr Roiyah Saltus, Professor Robert Moore, David Anderson, Dr Marian Gwyn, Naomi Alleyne, Professor Olivette Otele and Professor Chris Evans. Supporting research and drafting was undertaken on behalf of the group by Dr Peter Wakelin.
• 2021, the plinth of the statue of Robert Milligan is seen empty, with black and gold paint dripping down
  The details of the event can be seen on the Pyramids of Love website.
• 2021, Trial for degradation of monument to Colbert in Paris
  The trial for the activist from Brigade Anti Négrophobie was reported several times, until May 10, 2021, which is also a commemorative date for the abolition of slavery in France. The State pressed charged for "inscription, signe ou dessin réalisés sur une façade, une voie publique ou du mobilier urbain". The defense's strategy seems to have been to engage with the ideological resoning behind the activist's action, trying to start a a debate over slavery and reparations. Meanwhile, the prosecution seemingly chose to remain focused on the practicalities of the infraction. The accused was quoted in an article published in right-wind newspaper Le Figaro : «Ils parlent de tag, de traces. Ils n’ont même pas abordé la question (de la négrophobie). C’est pour nous, un aveu.» «L’État français, toujours néocolonial, continue à assumer de manière officieuse la négrophobie d’État!» The defense lawyer was quoted in the same article: «L’État français veut à tout prix éviter de débattre de la question des réparations. Un geste symbolique a été posé, mais on fait semblant de ne pas comprendre le véritable sens de ce geste, c’est-à-dire mettre au jour les conséquences du code noir, ce que M. Lollia appelle la négrophobie d’État. La seule réponse à une demande de justice sociale, c’est le déni et la répression.» According to the newspaper Marianne, the prosecution asked for a 800 EUR fine.
• 2021, UK Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden summons twenty-five of UK's heritage organisations to a summit
  The purpose of the summit was for heritage bodies to be 'reminded that public funds must not be used for political purposes’.
• 2021, UK government creates a Heritage Advisory Board
  The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport announced the creation of a Heritage Advisory Board to frame guidelines for the management of contested heritage, within the government's 'Retain and Explain' policy
• 2021, UK government declares 'Retain and Explain' policy for historic monuments
  The UK government announced a new set of laws and policies for the protection of historic monuments, both listed and unlisted. The highlights of these new measures include: 'New legal safeguards introduced for historic monuments at risk of removal All historic statues, plaques and other monuments will now require full planning permission to remove, ensuring due process and local consultation in every case The law will make clear that historic monuments should be retained and explained The Secretary of State able to “call in” any application and ensure the law is followed'
• 2021, Preparatory version of Passage Abdelkader by Michel Audiard, not retained.
• 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, "Cycle-moi l'histoire": an urban stroll around the remains of the Vincennes Colonial Exhibition
  The AlterNatives association organizes urban bike rides around the site of the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition in Vincennes and its remains.
• 2022, "Who is this General Leclerc?
  A sign asking this question hangs on the statue.
• 2022, Acquittal of the Colston Four by Bristol Crown Court
  After a highly publicised trial of nine days, Jake Skuse 33, Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Sage Willoughby, 22 were found 'not guilty' of criminal damage by the jury at Bristol Crown Court.
• 2022, AG Reference (Colston Four) Judgment
• 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, Britain First responds to Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock recommendations
  Britain First, a far-right and neofascist hate group, put out the following statement: "The ultra-woke Labour-led local council in Stroud, Gloucestershire, has voted to remove a 250 year old historic clock in the town, because it depicts a harmless image of a little black boy. The Labour council said that the clock was "traumatic for people of colour", whereas everyone else in the town has reacted angrily and blasted the council for trying to erase history. The clock, created in 1774, is one of Britain's twenty surviving jack clocks, which feature a moving figure striking a bell on the hour. We are urging our supporters to use this campaign to send a complaint immediately to Labour-led Stroud Council, demanding that they reverse their woke decision and leave our history alone."
• 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, Final Report of Shropshire Museums to West Midlands Museum Development
• 2022, Glasgow City Council commissions an audit of the city's connections with Atlantic slavery and commerce
• 2022, Inauguration of the Handshake Monument, replacing the Olry statue
  A new monument is inaugurated in Place de la Paix, almost a year after the removal of the statue of Governor Olry. The monument represents the handshake between Jacques Lafleur and Jean-Marie Tjibaou, in connection with the Matignon Accords signed in 1988 on the status of New Caledonia. For both the municipality and Fred Fichet, the sculptor, the statue is intended to be accessible to the public. The sculptor hopes it will "touch people". The men depicted are slightly taller than human height (2.50m), and not large, so as not to be overhanging or imposing figures. They are installed on a low plinth, 50cm high, so that the public can approach and touch them. Fred Fichet explains that one of his hopes is that the hand left free on the two figures can be grabbed and touched by passers-by, which could also help the sculpture itself to evolve by wearing out this element more quickly. Plaques on the base and side of the monument provide biographical information on Jacques Lafleur and Jean-Marie Tjibaou, the Matignon-Oudinot Accords they signed, and the choice of monumental representation by Nouméa mayor Sonia Lagarde.
• 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, Le Monument à Abdelkader est installé quai de la Loire à Amboise
  The monument was installed at the end of January, just a few days before its inauguration on February 5.
• 2022, Passage Abdelkader on the quays of the Loire in Amboise, legs cut out with a grinder on the morning of its inauguration on February 5, 2022.
• 2022, Le rond-point de La Boucan comme lieu d'affirmation d'une identité symbolique
  20 décembre 2013 : inauguration officieuse par le Collectif de défense mobile. Le transfert est contesté par la mairie qui finit cependant par l'accepter.
• 2022, Le Tribunal administratif est saisi pour obtenir le retrait du cartel présentant le général Leclerc
  The Pontoise A Gauche Vraiment association is taking the matter to the Administrative Court, as the Town Hall has not replied to its letter demanding the withdrawal of the cartel in the name of the Taubira law.
• 2022, Mars-IMPERIUM: History and (post)colonial Memories of imperial Marseille, XIXe-XXIe siècle
  Projet de recherche porté par cinq unités de recherche d’Aix-Marseille Université – IrAsia, IMAF, IREMAM , TELEMMe, LPED –, la Bibliothèque numérique Odyssée et une dizaine de partenaires socio-culturels – ANOM, Archives municipales de Marseille, Bibliothèque municipale, etc.
• 2022, National news coverage of council debate on Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock recommendations
• 2022, National news coverage of Stroud District Council Blackboy Clock recommendations