News / Edward Colston
Rogue plaque installed to mark first anniversary of Colston toppling
A rogue plaque now marks the spot where the Colston statue was thrown into the docks.
Installed the day before the one-year anniversary of the event, the plaque was commissioned by a group of ‘guerrilla historians’ and designed by Bristol artist John Packer.
The plaque also features words from the poem Hollow by former city poet Vanessa Kisuule, as well as an engraving of the moment the statue was pulled from its plinth.
Its wording reads: “At this spot, during world wide anti-racism protests, a statue celebrating the 17th century slave-trader Edward Colston was thrown into the harbour by the people of Bristol. Various campaigns to have the statue removed through official channels had been frustrated.”
The rogue plaque has been installed at the exact spot where the statue was thrown into the docks – photo: Martin Booth
In a statement, the guerrilla historians said that the toppling of Colston’s statue “was a pivotal moment in a global popular uprising, and the enormous symbolic and historical significance of this event reverberated around the world”.
They said: “We all want a fuller, richer understanding of British history – more history, not less – and we hope this plaque can make a small contribution to that shared goal.”
The events of June 7 2020 reverberated around the world – photo: Martin Booth
The new display at the M Shed featuring Colston’s statue documents a debate over the wording of an additional plaque that was due to be added to the statue’s plinth in 2019.
Acknowledging Colston’s involvement in the slave trade, disputes over the wording of the plaque were not resolved and the plaque was not added.
The Society of Merchant Venturers released a statement the week after the statue’s toppling saying that it was “inappropriate” that they got involved in the discussions over the wording.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: M Shed tickets block-booked in attempt to prevent people seeing Colston statue
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