The monument was created by London artist Marc Quinn, but was only in place for one day
A statue of a Black Lives Matter protester has been taken down after it suddenly appeared on the plinth that was previously home to the monument of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol, after it was secretly installed.
A figure of protester Jen Reid was erected in Bristol city centre early on Wednesday, where the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down by protesters and thrown into the harbour last month.
Today Bristol City Council said in a statement: “This morning we removed the sculpture. It will be held at our museum for the artist to collect or donate to our collection.”
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees has said that Mr Quinn may have to repay the cost of removing his work to the council.
He said:
“We welcome the provocation in many ways, but you also need to be an adult and take full responsibility for what you do. We need to make sure public services in Bristol do not pay the price for this.”
Council contractors were seen to be removing the statue that replaced the one of Edward Colston at around 5.20am on Thursday morning.
The life-size sculpture of Jen Reid , a Black Lives Matter protester, was only in place on the plinth for one day, after it was secretly installed by Marc Quinn, an artist from London, without the knowledge or permission of officials of the city of Bristol on Wednesday.
Ms Reid said that she hoped it would be allowed to remain in place, adding: “I’d like the council to keep it here, because obviously of what it represents and who was there prior.”
“I think the most important thing is that something is up there replacing Edward Colston. And for people to discuss, educate, learn and just keep talking about it.”
But Mr Rees went on to say that whatever monument replaces the slaver trader’s statue “must be decided by the people of Bristol”, “tell our full history” and be placed there subject to consultation.
This news comes after the city’s mayor has said that a statue of slave trader Edward Colston was “an affront” after it was torn down during a protest against racism in Bristol.
The original monument to the slave trader Edward Colston had remained in place since 1895 and was one of the many monuments that were dedicated to the man throughout the city of Bristol.
It was toppled from its plinth by Black Lives Matter protesters on the 7th of June, before being dumped in the water near Pero’s Bridge, the bridge named after John Pinney, another infamous slave trader, the initial vandalism of the statue triggered a nationwide debate on the future of offensive statues that represent those associated with colonialism and slavery and their place within our modern society.
Bristol City Council workers retrieved the monument to the slave trader from the harbour and have begun restoration efforts on it so it can be moved into a local museum.
