UK: Black Lives Matter activists deface Lincoln statue in London
Posted on by admin
Black Lives Matter activists on Saturday defaced the Abraham Lincoln statue in Parliament Square, London with graffiti during a demonstration against the killing of George Floyd.
Video and images from the demonstration show protesters scaling the statue and spray painting the names of George Floyd, Freddie Gray, and other black people perceived to have been killed unjustly at the hands of police officers.
One video clip shows a protester being lifted up on top of the statue to loud roars from the mob.
Protestor now climbing on Abraham Lincoln statue in London.
— Michael Heaver (@Michael_Heaver)
Cardboard signs which read “BLM”, “ABOLISH THE POLICE”, “RACISM IS A PANDEMIC TOO”, and “SILENCE IS VILENCE” were also duct-taped to one side of the statue’s pedestal.
Statue of former US president Abraham Lincoln now bears the names of black people killed by American police
— Mattha Busby (@matthabusby)
The protest, said to have drawn about 15,000 people, started off largely peaceful but later turned violent in the early evening when a crowd 400 to 500 people began hurling bottles and other objects at the police near Downing Street.
Police officers mounted on horses responded to the violence by rushing in to push the protesters back. In a video clip of the incident which has circulated on social media, one police officer can be seen falling from her horse after she smashes into a traffic light.
Looks like police officer very seriously hurt. The scumbags attacking horses need to be locked up.
— Michael Heaver (@Michael_Heaver)
All in all, 14 protesters were arrested and 14 police officers were injured during the chaos.
Also on Saturday, June 6th, a day which marked the 76th anniversary of D-Day, Black Lives Matter protesters vandalized the famous statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square in Westminster, Voice of Europe reported.
Video and images of the statue show its pedestal defaced with graffiti which reads “ACAB”, which is short for “all cops are bastards”.
Warnings from the Health Secretary and Met Police Commissioner for people NOT to protest today – haven’t worked. Thousands already here at the Black Lives Matter protest in Parliament Square.
