New Edward Colston plaque finally installed

A new plaque has been installed on the plinth where a slave trader's statue once stood.

The statue of Edward Colston in Bristol was torn down during a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 and thrown it into the city's harbour.

Installed on 17 April, the wording of the new plaque removes any mention of Colston as a "city benefactor".

In November, Conservative city councillor Richard Eddy voted against the revision and called it "utterly shameful".

He said: "Deleting the reference to Edward Colston, one of Bristol's greatest sons, being a benefactor is outrageous – an utterly historical revision that is worthy of the Nazis."

Opposition councillors pointed out to Mr Eddy that Edward Colston's fortune came from "forced transportation of 84,000 slaves, almost 20,000 of whom died", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Edward Colston was a prominent 17th Century slave trader and his legacy has been a source of controversy in Bristol for many years.

He was a member of the Royal African Company, which transported about 80,000 men, women and children from Africa to the Americas.

On his death in 1721, he bequeathed his wealth to charities and his legacy can still be seen on Bristol's streets, memorials and buildings.

After the statue was toppled, a protester was pictured with his knee on the figure's neck - reminiscent of the video showing George Floyd who died while being restrained in that way by a Minnesota police officer.

Four people accused of illegally removing the statue were cleared of criminal damage in January 2022.

The statue is now on permanent display in M Shed's Bristol People gallery in the city.

Seven years after it was suggested, the new plaque has been placed below the original plaque - part of the plinth when the statue was first erected 130 years ago.

The new plaque reads: "On 13 November, 1895, a statue of Edward Colston (1636-1721) was unveiled here.

"In the late 20th and early 21st Century, the celebration of Colston was increasingly challenged given his prominent role in the enslavement of African people.

"On 7 June 2020, the statue was pulled down during Black Lives Matter protests and rolled into the Floating Harbour.

"Following consultation with the city in 2021, the statue entered the collections of Bristol City Council 's museums."

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