Two statues in London to be removed because of links to slavery

The local authority that runs London's historic financial district is planning to remove statues of two British colonial-era politicians over their links to slave trade.

The City of London Corporation voted on Thursday to remove the statues of two 17th and 18th century figures. The monuments to William Beckford, a former London mayor who drew his wealth from plantations in Jamaica that used slave labour, and John Cass, an MP and major figure in the Royal Africa Company that facilitated the transatlantic slave trade, the authority believes, were made in memory of leaders who had accrued wealth through the slave trade.

They will hence be re-sited.

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The corporation launched a public consultation on monuments connected to slavery in September in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests that swept Britain and Europe following thedeath in US police custody of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, months earlier.

The demonstrations, which culminated in the toppling of a statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston during an anti-racism protest, sparked nationwide calls to remove monuments linked to Britain's colonial past.

The movement also faced a significant backlash, particularly after a statue of Britain's wartime prime minister Winston Churchill was targetted by protesters.

Earlier this week, new legal protections came into force meaning historic statues will only be removed in "the most exceptional circumstances".

Under the legislation, if a local authority intends to remove a monument and the national heritage body Historic England objects, the final decision will rest with communities minister Robert Jenrick.

(with inputs)