2020.06.07 Edward Colston Statue, Bristol, England, UK
On June 7th, 2020, during a march in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, protestors in Bristol, England toppled the monument to slave trader Edward Colston.
The monument was then dragged and rolled through the streets of Bristol to the harbour, before being hoisted over a barrier and into the water.
Photo by Dave Betts
What happened next.
At 5am on June 11th 2020, the toppled monument of slave trader Edward Colston was retrieved from Bristol Harbour by Bristol City Council.
The monument was taken to an undisclosed location to be prepared for exhibition in a museum. Although cleaned of mud and sediment from the harbor, conservators working on the monument attempted to conserve the graffiti and ropes placed on the monument.
Open from June 4 - September 5, 2021, the toppled statue of Edward Colston will be on display at the Bristol Museums. The exhibition, The Colston Statue: What next?” is described as “a temporary display [to be] the start of a conversation, not a complete exhibition.” The statue is displayed on its side with graffiti and damage sustained during the toppling remaining visible.
Photo by Tessa Carr