Banksy calls for adapted Colston statue to show it being pulled down to commemorate Black Lives Matter protests
Banksy has called for Bristol’s toppled Edward Colston statue to be resurrected to commemorate the moment it was pulled down.
The elusive artist wants the figure returned to its plinth - but with the addition of the anti-racism protesters who tore it down.
The statue was dragged through the city and dropped into the harbour during Black Lives Matter protests on Sunday.
Activists gathered in Bristol as part of a largely peaceful worldwide anti-racism rally against the murder of George Floyd in the US.
The bronze figure of 17th century slave trader Colston has been in the city centre since 1895.
But it has repeatedly come under attack, with pressure mounting on authorities to remove it.
Bristol-based Banksy says his design will keep “everyone happy”.
He shared his suggestion, which features four protesters pulling the statue down with ropes, on Instagram.
The black-and-white sketch was captioned: “What should we do with the empty plinth in the middle of Bristol?
“Here’s an idea that caters for both those who miss the Colston statue and those who don’t.
“We drag him out the water, put him back on the plinth, tie cable round his neck and commission some life size bronze statues of protestors in the act of pulling him down.
“Everyone happy. A famous day commemorated.”
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Banksy often lends his support to big social injustice issues and publicly backed the Black Lives Matter movement.
Last week he shared a painting of a vigil candle burning an American flag and said “people of colour are being failed by the system.”
It was sparked by the death of Mr Floyd who died after a white police officer pressed his knee into his neck for almost nine minutes last month.
A group of men were pictured trying to rescue Edward Colston's statue from Bristol harbour yesterday.
Five men were photographed using a large pole at the spot the 18ft bronze statue was dropped.
