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Massive Attack speak out against torn down slave trader statue in Bristol

Legendary English music group formed in Bristol, Massive Attack, approved of the removal of the Edward Colston stature by anti-racism protesters, saying, “The Colston statue should never have been a public monument. It’s history could have been understood in a museum. The elevation of a slave trader clashed badly with our civic identity. A philanthropy derived from crimes against humanity is as hollow as the statue itself.”

The words by Massive Attack were in response to a video of the statue being pulled down, and an image of a protestors with his knee on the statue’s neck.

As part of the ongoing, worldwide protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, demonstrators marching in Bristol on Sunday, June 7 tore down the statue of Colston, a 17th century slave trader, and tossed it into the harbor. In addition to denouncing the public monument, the Bristol venue, Colston Hall, issued a statement solidifying their commitment to changing its name. The initial announcement was made in 2017; however, with the recent push, the venue announced the name change will take place in autumn 2020.

H/T: NME


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