The major of Bristol has said the sculpture of a Black Lives Matter protester that has appeared on the plinth that previously held a statue of slave trader Edward Colston will have to be taken down.
Mayor Marvin Rees took to Twitter to say that the statue, which is titled 'A Surge of Power (Jen Reid)', would need to be removed as the artist who put it up hadn't got permission.
In a statement, he added: "The sculpture that has been installed today was the work and decision of a London based artist. It was not requested and permission was not given for it to be installed.
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"We have set out a process to manage our journey. We have established a history commission which will help us tell our full city history.
"As we learn this fuller history including the part played by black people, women, the working class, trade unions, and children among others, we will be in a better position to understand who we are, how we got here and who we wish to honour.
"Crucial to our heritage has been the harbour and the docks, manufacturing and industry, research and innovation, transport, slum clearances, housing, modern gentrification and faith.
"As the commission shares this information, the city will decide on city memorials and the future of the plinth."
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Artist Marc Quinn created the life-sized statue of Reid after seeing her standing on top of the plinth after the Colston statue had been pulled down.
Quinn told The Guardian: "I've always felt it's part of my job to bring the world into art and art into the world.
"Jen created the sculpture when she stood on the plinth and raised her arm in the air. Now we're crystallising it."
Speaking to the Shropshire Star, Reid said: "Creating this sculpture is so important as it helps keep the journey towards racial justice and equity moving, because black lives matter every day.
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"This sculpture is about making a stand for my mother, for my daughter, for black people like me. It's about black children seeing it up there.
"It's something to feel proud of, to have a sense of belonging, because we actually do belong here and we're not going anywhere."
Black Lives Matter protesters pulled down the Colston statue on 7 June before pushing it into the harbour.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: UK News
