Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol pull down and throw statue of 17th-century slave trader into river

Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol have toppled a statue of a 17th-century slave trader and thrown it in the city’s river.

Footage on social media shows demonstrators tearing the figure of Edward Colston from its plinth during protests in the city centre. In a later video, protesters are seen dumping it into the Avon at Bristol Harbour.

The demonstrations came in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on 25 May.

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Home secretary Priti Patel said the toppling of the statue was “utterly disgraceful”, ”completely unacceptable” and “sheer vandalism”.

Avon and Somerset Police have launched an investigation to identify those involved in the incident.

Shape Created with Sketch. Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest Show all 16 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Slave trader statue pulled down and thrown in river at Bristol protest 1/16 The Edward Colston statue has been pulled down by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol. Colston was a 17th century slave trader who has numerous landmarks named after him in Bristol. Pictured is the statue covered up before it was pulled down Tom Wren / SWNS 2/16 Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP 3/16 Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP 4/16 A protester presses his knee into the neck of the Edward Colston statue Tom Wren / SWNS 5/16 The protest rally was in College Green, Bristol Ben Birchall/PA Wire 6/16 The Edward Colston statue is defaced Tom Wren / SWNS 7/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 8/16 A crowd gathers Tom Wren / SWNS 9/16 Protesters dragging the statue of Edward Colston to Bristol harbourside PA 10/16 The statue is rolled along the street before being dropped into a nearby river Tom Wren / SWNS 11/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 12/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 13/16 Protesters throw the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour PA 14/16 Ben Birchall/PA Wire 15/16 TWITTER/SELLOTTIE via REUTERS 16/16 PA 1/16 The Edward Colston statue has been pulled down by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol. Colston was a 17th century slave trader who has numerous landmarks named after him in Bristol. Pictured is the statue covered up before it was pulled down Tom Wren / SWNS 2/16 Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP 3/16 Protesters pulling down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston William Want Twitter account/AFP 4/16 A protester presses his knee into the neck of the Edward Colston statue Tom Wren / SWNS 5/16 The protest rally was in College Green, Bristol Ben Birchall/PA Wire 6/16 The Edward Colston statue is defaced Tom Wren / SWNS 7/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 8/16 A crowd gathers Tom Wren / SWNS 9/16 Protesters dragging the statue of Edward Colston to Bristol harbourside PA 10/16 The statue is rolled along the street before being dropped into a nearby river Tom Wren / SWNS 11/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 12/16 Tom Wren / SWNS 13/16 Protesters throw the statue of Edward Colston into Bristol harbour PA 14/16 Ben Birchall/PA Wire 15/16 TWITTER/SELLOTTIE via REUTERS 16/16 PA

“The vast majority of those who came to voice their concerns about racial inequality and injustice did so peacefully and respectfully,” said Superintendent Andy Bennett.

“However, there was a small group of people who clearly committed an act of criminal damage in pulling down a statue near Bristol Harbourside.

“An investigation will be carried out to identify those involved and we’re already collating footage of the incident.”

The controversial bronze memorial, made by sculpture John Cassidy, had stood in the centre of Bristol since 1895.

More than 10,000 people have signed a petition calling on Bristol City Council to have it removed.

Before it was pulled down, protestor John McAllister, 71, removed the black bin bags hiding the statues.

Mr McAllister said: ”It says ‘erected by the citizens of Bristol, as a memorial to one of the most virtuous and wise sons of this city’.”

“The man was a slave trader. He was generous to Bristol but it was off the back of slavery and it’s absolutely despicable. It’s an insult to the people of Bristol,” he added.

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Colston worked for the Royal African Company and later served as the Tory MP for Bristol.

The slave trader is still a large presence in the city of his birth, where many schools, buildings and charities are named after him.

Labour MPs tweeted in solidarity with the removal of the statue, with Clive Lewis writing: ”If statues of confederates who fought a war for slavery & white supremacy should come down then why not this one? Someone responsible for immeasurable blood & suffering. We’ll never solve structural racism till we get to grips with our history in all its complexity.”

Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, used a clenched fist emoji and said “this caused me to exhale”.

On Sunday, thousands of people joined anti-racism rallies in Bristol and other cities across the UK. One protest against police brutality took place outside the US embassy in London.