Here Are All The Racist Statues Removed, Destroyed or Upgraded by BLM Protestors

The days of passing statues honoring deceased slave traders, traitors and racists are coming to an end. The global Black Lives Matter movement has birthed some much-needed street cleaning from Virginia to Belgium.  And while the white supremacy collective is weeping over the beautification of so many cities, individuals on the right side of history are rejoicing.

Here is a running list of monuments and statues that have been removed – or in some graffitied instances “given a contemporary update” – since the death of George Floyd.

Asha poses for a photograph at the Edward Colston statue plinth where she a taped on a cardboard sign which says “this plaque is dedicated to the slaves that were taken from their homes.”  Yesterday, protesters in Bristol toppled the statue of Edward Colston, a 17th-century slave-trader, and tossed it into the harbour. Outside the Houses of Parliament in London, a statue of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill was spray-painted with the words “was a racist” amid anti-racism protests over the weekend. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

ENGLAND

In Bristol, England protestors pulled down a statue of 17th-century slave trading thug Edward Colston and tossed into a nearby harbor.


Protestors in London defaced a statue of Winston Churchill outside the Houses of Parliament. Churchill, who led England to victory during World War II, had some not so nice things to say about Indians and Chinese people.

BELGIUM

Several statues of King Leopold, a long-deceased and wretched man responsible for the deaths of approximately 10 million Congolese, have been defaced or removed throughout Belgium. A Leopold statue in the town of Ghent was gagged with white cloth and the words “I Can’t Breathe” were painted in red across the fabric. In Antwerp, a statue was removed by government officials in response to the protests.

VIRGINIA

In Fredericksburg, Virginia, an 800-pound auction block where African-Americans were once sold as slaves will be relocated (hopefully into the Chesapeake) by city officials after years of debate.

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has promised to take down a statue of Confederate General Robert R. Lee (seen below) in Richmond telling the Department of General Services to remove it “as soon as possible.”

ALABAMA

A statue of Confederate sailor Charles Linn was yanked down by demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama.

INDIANA

A memorial dedicated to Confederate soldiers at a park in Indianapolis is also scheduled to be taken down according to the local mayor, Joe Hogsett.

As more and more statues come down, we hope to see installations honoring the BLM movement erected in their place.

+ posts

Eric has revolved in and out of passport controls for over 20 years. From his first archaeological field school in Belize to rural villages in Ethiopia and Buddhist temples in Laos, Eric has come smile to smile with all walks of life. A writer, photographer and entrepreneur, the LA native believes the power of connectivity and community is enriched through travel.

Close
Copyright © 2022 Kevin Frazier Productions. All rights reserved.
Close