The Metropolitan Police are hunting for the trans-rights activists who have defaced a number of statues in Westminister.
Seven statues, including the Millicent Fawcett statue, were defaced with graffiti during a protest against the Supreme Court ruling on Saturday in which they demanded ‘trans liberation’ and ‘trans rights now’.
The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced.
‘F** rights’ and a heart were chalked onto the banner held by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, and ‘trans rights are human rights’ were spray-painted on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader Jan Christian Smuts.
The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.
Millicent Fawcett was a pioneer for women’s rights and led the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) and advocated for women’s rights through peaceful, non-violent methods, including lobbying and public speaking.
Officers are currently searching through CCTV footage from the surrounding area to find the culprits and are appealing to anyone who may have been in attendance with information, footage or pictures to come forward by calling 101 quoting 01/7396927/25.
The Metropolitan Police are hunting for the trans-rights activists who have defaced a number of statues in Westminister
Seven statues, including the Millicent Fawcett statue, were defaced with graffiti during a protest against the Supreme Court ruling on Saturday (Graffiti says ‘F** rights’)
Officers are currently searching through CCTV footage from the surrounding area to find the culprits
Statues were defaced with phrases such as ‘trans rights’ and ‘trans joy’ during the protest
The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced
Supporters of trans rights sit on the statue of Viscount Palmerston with a trans flag during the protest in Parliament Square
More graffiti on the statue of Lord Palmerston from trans activists during yesterday’s protest
The square is home to 12 statues of political figures including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi (Pictured: transgender flags around the statue of Nelson Mandela)
The statues of Jan Christian Smuts, Nelson Mandela, Sir Robert Peel, Benjamin Disraeli, Millicent Fawcett, Earl of Derby and Viscount Palmerston were all defaced
Chief Superintendent, Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, said: ‘Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.
‘While the police support the public’s right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable. We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.
‘Working with the Greater London Authority (GLA) plans are underway to remove the graffiti but this requires specialist equipment and we are confident this will be done shortly.
‘We are keen to speak to those who saw anything on the day and urge anyone with information, pictures or footage to come forward. Please call 101, quoting 01/7396927/25.’
Police have also received complaints from the public about signs and images posted to social media which were displayed at yesterday’s protest.
They are investigating the pictures sent in but have so far found them to be from different past events or do not constitute a criminal offence.
Officers said they are reviewing the footage from the protest and vowed to take action if there are signs displayed which are found to be in breach of the law.
On April 16, the judges at Supreme Court ruled that when the term ‘woman’ is used in the Equality Act it means a biological woman, and sex means biological sex.
It also makes it clear that if a space or service is designated as women-only, a person who was born male but identifies as a woman does not have a right to use that space or service.
