New Zealand City Remove Statue of ‘Murderous’ British Captain (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The New Zealand city of Hamilton has removed a bronze statue of the British naval officer who inspired its named after a Maori elder branded him "murderous" and a "monster".
A New Zealand city on Friday took down a statue of a British navy commander accused of killing indigenous Maori people in the 19th century, as global debate swirls over monuments that represent racial oppression, Reuters reported.
Statues glorifying colonialists and slave traders have come into focus as part of a broader movement inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests that started in the United States following the death of George Floyd.
Floyd, 46, died on May 25 after a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes, sparking anti-racism protests around the world.
Protests in Australia and New Zealand have focused on atrocities committed against indigenous people by European colonisers, with thousands of anti-racism protesters marching over the past week.
The statue of British commander John Hamilton in the New Zealand city of Hamilton, named after him, was taken down a day after a Maori leader threatened to tear it down himself.
Mayor Paula Southgate said a growing number of people found the statue personally and culturally offensive.