‘Star Wars’ statue removed from Bristol’s “controversial” Colston plinth
nme.comStar Wars inspired statue has been removed from the plinth that once housed a tribute to slave trader Edward Colston.In 2020, protesters in Bristol used ropes to pull down the bronze statue of Edward Colston, a prominent 17th Century slave trader, as local artists described its presence as “a metaphor for how racism operates; Ever present, but often in the background.”Massive Attack welcomed the removal by anti-racism protesters saying that it “should never have been a public monument”.Last year, four of the people allegedly involved were cleared of criminal damage in court.However yesterday (April 7), a statue of a battle droid from the Star Wars franchise was discovered on the empty plinth.
Created by local artist Simon Francis Thomas, the statue was set to be displayed for “three days on the controversial plinth” to coincide with the Star Wars Celebration event taking place in London.A post shared by Simon francis thomas (@lost_in_carcosa) However, less than 24 hours after it appeared, the figure was removed.“Thanks for all the love.
I really enjoyed this project and the feedback.. should I do another pop up?” asked the artist on Instagram before confirming that “Roger” was “back home with me.”“So glad I installed an Air Tag in [him],” he added.
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