Reaction: Black Lives Matter protesters tear down ‘toxic’ slave trader statue

Home Secretary Priti Patel describes the toppling as ‘utterly disgraceful’ vandalism

gettyimages-1218190571_cropped.jpg
Home Secretary Priti Patel describes the toppling as ‘utterly disgraceful’ vandalism
(Image credit: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Boris Johnson has condemned the toppling of a Bristol statue of slave trader Edward Colston during anti-racism protests that the prime minister says have been “subverted by thuggery”.

Writing on Twitter on Sunday evening, Johnson said that while “people have a right to protest peacefully”, the destruction of property is a “betrayal of the cause they purport to serve”.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us