A week ago I didn’t think that there would be a desperate need for people in this country to protect statues from being torn down and thrown in lakes, but in typical 2020 fashion this is where we are now and we might have already reached peak statue wars with this latest news.

Images VIA

Turns out that the situation is so bad in Central London and people are so worried about the potential violence that could occur between anti racist protesters and far right protesters set to march on the city with the Churchill statue as their focal point that the government have actually taken measures to protect it by erecting a protective wall around it. Other monuments in the area – including the Cenotaph – were also clad in protective sheeting to protect them from potential vandalism.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had this to say about the demonstrations over the weekend:

It is clear that the majority of the protesters have been peaceful.

This moment must be a catalyst for systemic, lasting change to tackle the racism and inequalities that black people still face today, in this country and elsewhere.

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However, I’m extremely concerned that further protests in central London not only risk spreading Covid-19, but could lead to disorder, vandalism and violence.

Extreme far-right groups who advocate hatred and division are planning counter-protests, which means that the risk of disorder is high.

Be in no doubt these counter-protests are there to provoke violence, and their only goal is to distract and hijack this important issue.

Staying home and ignoring them is the best response this weekend.

Yeah, not sure if anyone out there on either side is really going to listen to him about that, but I guess at least they’ve made moves to protect the statues. I know a lot of people will sleep easier because of that tonight, and maybe it means that the Democratic Football Lads Alliance won’t need to travel down anymore in order to protect the statues and there won’t be any violent clashes between them and anti racist protesters over the weekend? Lol sure.

For more of the same, check out these guys protecting a statue of Scouts founder Robert Baden Powell in Poole. Why are people so invested in them?