Edward Colston Statue Displayed at Bristol Museum After 2020 Toppling

The statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader, was brought down by Black Lives Matter activists in Bristol, UK, on June 7, 2020, and is currently housed at the M-Shed museum. This 2.565-meter bronze statue, which was installed in November 1895 and stood for 124 years, now shows signs of damage, including red-sprayed hands and missing parts. After its removal, it was thrown into Bristol Harbour but was recovered four days later and loaned to Bristol Museum as a means to initiate dialogue. The display has ignited discussions about the balance between preservation and removal. Sado Jirde, from the Black South West Network, emphasized that true reclamation of humanity cannot happen in spaces that dehumanize. Meanwhile, Dan Hicks notes that the statue's future remains unclear, as it has not yet been integrated into the permanent collection.