A statue of a slave trader toppled by anti-racism protesters in Britain last month was replaced on Wednesday — without permission — with a sculpture of a black woman who helped pull it down.
The new statue, showing Black Lives Matter (BLM) protester Jen Reid with her fist raised, occupies the plinth where the Edward Colston likeness stood before crowds threw it into Bristol harbour in southwest England.
Entitled “A Surge of Power” by artist Marc Quinn, the new statue was erected without the knowledge of Bristol City Council.
Ms. Reid attended the unveiling and told The Guardian newspaper that it was “just incredible”.
“This is going to continue the conversation. I can’t see it coming down in a hurry,” she said.
Colston was a 17th century slave trader and Conservative MP whose company forcibly moved large numbers of West Africans.
A native of Bristol, his name is commemorated in many landmarks across the city.
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