XR protesters deface Churchill statue despite police presence
POLICE faced questions last night after protesters were allowed to deface the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration.
The statue was daubed with the word “racist” in yellow spray paint while climate protesters occupied Parliament Square despite hundreds of police officers being stationed in the area.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that one person had been arrested, but questions were raised over how someone was able to deface the statue for the second time in three months.
It came less than a week after a mob blockaded the printing plants of several national newspapers, and more climate activists caused chaos in Westminster, chaining themselves to railings and blocking traffic.
Mike Penning, the former policing and justice minister, called on the police to take “more robust action” on protesters. “Parliament Square is one of the most visited places in the world.
“There are more cameras than almost anywhere else and they still get away with it.
“I am sure the police will say they will go back later and pick up the perpetrators. They need to stop it there and then, and take more robust action immediately. That is what the public expects from them,” Mr Penning said.
He added: “I don’t blame the frontline officers. I blame their managers
‘There are more cameras in Parliament Square than almost anywhere else and they still get away with it’
who are telling them what to do, and in this case it goes up to the Met commissioner.”
Bob Seely, the Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight, said last night: “Police need to strike a balance between respecting the rights of people intent on criminal damage and actually nicking them because they’re doing criminal damage.”
Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, described the vandalism as “appalling”, adding that the statue would be cleaned as soon as possible. The towering figure of Britain’s wartime prime minister was boarded up in June after being graffitied during a Black Lives Matter protest.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, described the defacement as “thoroughly unacceptable”.
A spokesman for the Met said: “Ahead of any large-scale demonstration we always engage with partners regarding crime-prevention advice. It is not the responsibility of the Met to take steps to cover up buildings, statues or monuments.
“Officers on patrol in Parliament Square took immediate action following the vandalism of the Winston Churchill statue, making a swift arrest on suspicion of criminal damage.”