We can’t edit our past, says Boris
BORIS JOHNSON has said it is “absurd and shameful” that the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square was at risk of attack from anti-racism protesters.
Speaking after the memorial was boarded up to protect it ahead of more planned weekend demonstrations, the Prime Minister said on Twitter: “We cannot now try to edit or censor our past.”
In later comments, Mr Johnson warned people to stay away from future Black Lives Matter demonstrations, predicting they would “end in deliberate and calculated violence”.
A protective box was placed around the statue of the former premier, who led Britain during the Second World War struggle against the Nazis, after it was targeted during anti-racism protests last weekend.
It was vandalised with the words “Was a racist”, while the Cenotaph, which has also now been protected with hoarding, was also targeted.
The protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in the US, saw clashes between protesters and police in London.
Mr Johnson said: “The statue of Winston
Churchill in Parliament Square is a permanent reminder of his achievement in saving this country – and the whole of Europe – from a fascist and racist tyranny.
“It is absurd and shameful that this national monument should today be at risk of attack by violent protesters.
“Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero, and he fully deserves his memorial.”
The Prime Minister voiced his opposition to the decision by a host of local authorities to remove a string of monuments and statues as the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement continues to be felt across the country.
The Conservative Party leader said to take statues down would “be to lie about our history”.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals in London announced they will remove two statues of their namesakes from public view due to their links to the slave trade.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has delayed plans to temporarily remove a statue of Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell after angry residents vowed to fight to protect it.
The council had originally said it would move the statue from Poole Quay on Thursday over concerns it was on a target list compiled by anti-racism activists due to his associations with the Nazis and the Hitler Youth programme, as well as his actions in the military.
The sculpture features on a “topple the racists” website which lists more than 60 statues and memorials across the UK which they argue should be taken down, because they “celebrate slavery and racism”.
But Mr Johnson, in a series of social media posts, said: “We cannot pretend to have a different history. Those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults.”