Past of the Empire – The British struggle with the heroes of once having been in Bristol a slave trader has been toppled from the Pedestal, to be repaid in his Name. And all the other colonialists?Peter Nonnenmacher from London0 comment is not welcome: protesters stand on Edward Colstons Statue. Photo: Ben Birchall / AP
Since the protesters, the monument is one of the most prominent overthrown benefactor of the city and in the river Avon have sunk, no longer wants to place the debate about the colonial past. For the interior Minister Priti Patel, the incident is an “outrageous crime” and a “criminal action” that required prompt law enforcement. The police are doing it sincerely sorry that you could not prevent the fall of Edward Colston. She has taken up investigations.
this a bit more differentiated, as the Minister, Patel leader of the opposition, Sir Keir Starmer sees the thing, was for many years himself chief of the law enforcement authority in England. Also Starmer considers the spectacular nature of the disposal Colstons as “wrong – so you shouldn’t have to do that”. However, the Labour leader added that the monument “to win in front of a long, long time”, because it was to his place of honor right in the middle of Bristol for many the purest provocation, a historical Nuisance.
“Royal Africa Company” on the chest
This evaluation, the demonstrators on Sunday in the Wake of the Anti-racism protests in Bristol Colston from his ancestral Base brought, with him around, bounced him down to the Wharf rolled in and cheers over the railing overturned shared. Because of Edward Colston, one of the richest merchants of Bristol in the 17th century.Century, it owed its fabled wealth to its Central role in the slave trade.
Alone between 1672 and 1689, Colstons vessels 100’000 slaves – men, women, and children – from Africa to the Caribbean and North America have a promotion. In one of the ship hulls in a cruel way, crammed people, many of whom did not survive the Crossing, and let Colston prior to the removal of the RAC-abbreviation of the “Royal Africa Company” on the chest branding. The RAC had then the monopoly of the slave trade.
The word “slaver” appeared for the first time in 1999.
in Order to remain his fellow citizens in a good memory, had Colston, that after his death a part of his fortune for charitable purposes is spent. His monument on Colston Avenue, praised him as “one of the most virtuous and wise sons of the city”. Dozens of buildings, schools, sports clubs, Pubs and streets had a name by the grateful municipality, according to him. Church services and ceremonial celebrations are held every year in his honor. The Colston girls school celebrates once in the year, founders ‘ Day, a procession, a special Colston is bread. With the impending end of the Empire, the question came up in Bristol, whether Edward Colston has it really deserves to be in the posterity as the epitome of “virtue” to pass.
The word “slaver” appeared for the first time in 1999 as a Graffiti on his monument. But it is only in the last few years, a really hot dispute, the Colston legacy has begun, a debate that also other, yet always celebrated slave traders, colonialists, or imperialists elsewhere in the United Kingdom revolves. The mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, acknowledges that at Colstons monument “for many years, are the ghosts”. Thangam Debbonaire, the black MP for West Bristol, is looking to explain to their white fellow citizens, why is it “for the black population of this city is not a good idea, that here, with statues to people who have us, once suppressed”.
the mayor can portrait remove
Some institutions in Bristol have drawn conclusions from that. The city’s concert hall, Colston Hall, decided to change their name. Also, Colston’s Primary, a primary school, wants to rename – while Colston Girl’s School retains its name. From the office of the Lord Mayor with a portrait of Colstons has been removed. And what relates to the controversial monument, as had recently been decided that a new inscription should also draw attention to the amalgamation with the slave trade. This Supplement is unnecessary now for the First. As long as the monument is battered in the River Avon, it does not need Colston this note.
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