Fri 18 Dec 2020 10.00 EST
On 7 June, Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol pulled down the statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston in spectacular fashion. Among the jubilant crowd, which jumped on the statue and rolled it down the street before pushing it into Bristol harbour, was 50-year-old Jen Reid, attending her first protest.
She walked towards the now empty plinth upon which the statue had sat since1895 and stood on top of it with her first raised. âIt just felt like I was cleansing it,â she says, speaking in November. âIt was remembering George Floyd, remembering all the slaves who died at the hands of Colston, and the people of Bristol whoâve had to look at that statue on a daily basis.â An image of Reid standing on the plinth with her fist raised went viral on social media. She went home feeling victorious and defiant. âI had a surge of power,â she says.
Bill Bailey on his Strictly success: People thought I d be a joke telegraph.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from telegraph.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Two of Bristol s Colston streets set to have original medieval names restored
They had original names for centuries until the Victorians renamed them after the slave trader
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Two of Bristol’s historic city centre streets that were renamed as part of the ‘cult of Colston’ could have their original names restored, a council chief has confirmed.