London Mayor Sadiq Khan faced backlash Tuesday after he announced the formation of a commission to review all London landmarks and street names, and vowed to remove any that do not comply with ‘diversity’.
Khan promised to ‘review and improve’ London diversity in the wake of BLM “protests” at which statues of Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln were defaced.
Today we've unveiled a new commission to review and improve the diversity of London’s public landmarks.
We must commemorate the achievements and diversity of all in our city – and that includes questioning which legacies are being celebrated. https://t.co/L1KTJqybGY
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) June 9, 2020
Khan told Sky News that the ‘Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm’ will review all London’s landmarks, including murals, street art, street names and other public memorials.
“When you look at the public realm – street names, street squares, murals – not only are there some of slavers that I think should be taken down, and the commission will advise us on that, but actually we don’t have enough representation of people of colour, black people, women, those from the LGBT community.” Khan said.
“We must ensure that we celebrate the achievements and diversity of all in our city, and that we commemorate those who have made London what it is – that includes questioning which legacies are being celebrated.” he continued.
“The Black Lives Matter protests have rightly brought this to the public’s attention, but it’s important that we take the right steps to work together to bring change and ensure that we can all be proud of our public landscape.” Khan proclaimed.
Some pointed out that what constitutes ‘diversity’ and what is unacceptable to Khan’s commission probably won’t jive with public opinion.
Start with this fella pic.twitter.com/lxSADtFsG9
— David (@davidebrady) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/SWso155/status/1270303393567903744
https://twitter.com/hippocrates16/status/1270301391244988426
https://twitter.com/IlidioCarmona/status/1270299314565394432
Start with Mandelas ??? pic.twitter.com/RsMHkeRgR7
— AJ (@ayjay_potato) June 9, 2020
I’d like to knock down the Roman part of London Wall that is still visible because they used slaves ?
— Richard (@Richie180471) June 9, 2020
Tower of London will have to go
— Jan ????????? (@JanChat56) June 9, 2020
Not sure the French are to happy about Trafalgar Square and Nelsons column, there are thousands of them in London now. Do we care, NO, stop wasting London’s budget.
— Barnard Castle (@whatttheff) June 9, 2020
Presumably statues of Stormzy shall go up.
— Edward Howard #KBF (@EdwardHoward11) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/CnutForkbeard/status/1270298637944438784
One assumes that same legacy (buildings/churches/schools built with the “wrong” philanthropists funding) will also be demolished and removed?
— Wes Knowles (@stalkfarm) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/numb15/status/1270298634584809473
Diversity shouldn't be about removing British history in Britain. Where's the endpoint? If we remove everything we don't like about our history, do we next dismantle our castles because the Monarchy historically brutalised the people?
— MINDYOURWATER.com (@mindyourwater) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/p_j_d_247/status/1270311992356724736
https://twitter.com/FrederickBolly/status/1270316737968386049
https://twitter.com/p_j_d_247/status/1270310116924035072
Others wondered how long it will be before other forms of expression are targeted:
https://twitter.com/matthewncarter/status/1270298356875747336
Ahhhhh it begins. The eradication of British history.
— Louise C #RyansLaw (@Loucoll73) June 9, 2020
You are purposely trying to remove British culture and history…
— Boardman Biker (@homeinbristol) June 9, 2020
— Peg (@Pegsterone) June 9, 2020
And after the statutes, then the books and then those horrible white people will need to be deported back to where they came from?
— KS (@sampson_ken) June 9, 2020
Others simply want the Mayor to deal with the massive murder epidemic in London, or look at the economic collapse, rather than worrying about statues:
https://twitter.com/JustaskingAlice/status/1270300920048431104
How about action to prevent more of this happening?https://t.co/HE30zccTXA
— Jane Gerson #AmYisraelChai (@JaneGerson) June 9, 2020
https://twitter.com/CollinsMikeyc/status/1270299011782672384
https://twitter.com/AlextheJS/status/1270312204424921088
Or we could just spend the money on something which actually helps minority groups?
— Chesca Walton (she/her) (@chescawalton) June 9, 2020
Perhaps this is the only real solution:
I propose all statues in London are taken down and replaced by Sadiq Khan statues
— Crypto Bond (@cryptojb007) June 9, 2020
