78. Colston Four: Why are slaver statues still standing?
Why do we still have statues of people who did horrible things?
In 1895 a bronze statue of slave trader Edward Colston was erected on top of a stone plinth in the centre of Bristol. Colston had made large donations to charities, schools and hospitals in the city, and certain businessmen saw him as a philanthropist. A plaque beneath the statue described Colston as one of the βmost virtuous and wise sons of the cityβ. But there was no mention anywhere that he made his fortune as a slave trader.
125 years later, in 2020, the statue was still there despite many petitions to Bristol City Council for it to be removed. Then, during a demonstration, the statue was toppled and thrown in the river. Four young protesters soon find themselves in court and at the centre of an intense political and legal debate.
On this episode of Bad People, Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen discuss whether it is ever right to break the law and what the law itself has to say about this controversial case.
CREDITS
Presenters: Dr Julia Shaw and Sofie Hagen
Producer: Louisa Field
Assistant Producer: Kate White
Editor: Anna Lacey
Music: Matt Chandler
Academic Consultants for The Open University: Dr James Munro
Commissioning Executive: Dylan Haskins
Commissioning Assistant Producer: Adam Eland
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Bad People
True crime stories and insights into why people do bad things.
