Statues of Gandhi, Mandela, Churchill removed for security in London

London, Ta. 15 June 2020, Monday

Demonstrations against apartheid erupted in the United States on May 25 over the death of black citizen George Floyd in police custody, which has now spread to Britain. Protesters damaged statues of Mahatma Gandhi and Winston Churchill in London's Parliament Square. Because of this the security of those statues was enhanced.

Now for security reasons, the mayor of the London office has moved the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill. Leicester City Council is reviewing all the street names, statues and monuments in the city. He received more than 5,000 signatures on the petition to remove the statue of Mahatma Gandhi. In response, a charity in Leicester resisted by standing in a circle around the statue and tying a white ribbon.

In this regard, people of Indian descent demanded the removal of the statues of General Havelock and General Clive from central London. During the demonstrations, statues of Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi were denigrated in Britain as racist. Protesters also tore down a statue of Edward Colston in Bristol. Colston was a member of the Royal African Company and brought 80,000 people from Africa to America.

Britain's Home Secretary Preeti Patel called the incident "shameful" and criticized the behavior of the crowd during a demonstration in London. More than 60 policemen were injured during the protest. Labor MP Florence Ashalomi, on the other hand, targeted the Indian-origin home minister, saying he had little understanding of the racist issue.