News / Edward Colston
Toppled Colston statue to go on permanent display
It’s now official that the statue of Edward Colston will soon be displayed before the public more than three years since it was unceremoniously dumped in the Floating Harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest.
Bristol City Council has rubber-stamped the relocation of the toppled and graffitied figure of the notorious slave trader and philanthropist to the M Shed where it will form a permanent part of an exhibition about the history of protest in Bristol.
The council’s planning committee approved the removal of the statue’s Grade II listing officially removed so it can become a permanent part of Bristol museums’ collection but the wording of the plaque that will be placed on the plinth on Colston Avenue is yet to be decided.
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The Colston statue will go on display in a glass case from March 15 after public consultation by the We Are Bristol History Commission, formed after the statue was toppled, where around 80 per cent of Bristol residents who took part thought that the best place for it was in one of the city’s museums.
Placards left at the empty plinth after the march on June 7 2020 will be displayed around the statue with a timeline, allowing visitors to contribute their own events on the themes of racism, the statue, politics and culture along with an interactive screen.
A council spokesperson said the display will allow for “dialogue and reflection on the city’s past, with a focus on racial justice and activism”.
Colston’s statue was toppled during a Black Lives Matter march in June 2020 – photo: Martin Booth
Mayor Marvin Rees said the survey “returned a clear consensus for the statue to be preserved in its current state and exhibited in one of our Bristol museums, drawing on the principles of the temporary M Shed display in 2021”.
“The resulting display at M Shed will present the history of Colston and the statue in a nuanced, contextualised, and engaging way, which is important for Bristol’s communities to explore our city’s history and what it means for us today.”
Councillor Asher Craig, deputy mayor and chair of the Bristol Legacy Foundation, which follows on from the work of the We Are Bristol History Commission, added: “This display aligns with our vision of creating a safe space for dialogue and understanding around Bristol’s heritage.
“Working alongside Bristol’s African Heritage community, we’ve strived to amplify less-heard voices, recognising that the fight against racism goes beyond symbolic gestures.
“Our goal is to encourage open dialogue, acknowledging the struggles with racism and embracing the complexities of our collective history.
“Bristol’s legacy is a work in progress, and this extended display is a testament to a shared commitment to understand, learn, and evolve.”
Main photo: Betty Woolerton
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