Workers remove controversial statue of Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton from Civic Square (AFP)
Hamilton, New Zealand:
On Friday, the New Zealand city of Hamilton destroyed a statue of the colonial military commander who bears his name, joining a growing list of places around the world that take their past into account.
A crane hoisted the bronze sculpture of Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton from the town square on Friday morning after requests from local Maori and threats from anti-racist protesters to overthrow it.
A small group of enthusiastic spectators watched.
Hamilton City Council recognized that the statue’s extraction was part of a campaign to remove the memorials “which are considered to represent cultural disharmony and oppression” triggered by global protests against racism.
“I know many people – in fact, an increasing number of people – find the statue personally and culturally offensive,” said Mayor Paula Southgate.
“We cannot ignore what is happening all over the world and neither should we. At a time when we are trying to build tolerance and understanding … I don’t think the statue helps us to fill these gaps. “
Hamilton was a naval commander who fought the native Maori to defend their land from British colonial expansion in the 19th century.
He died at the Battle of Pukehinahina, or Gate Pa, in 1864, when – in an early example of trench warfare – a group of Maori in a fortified encampment succeeded in repelling British troops and artillery, although it was outnumbered.
The statue was donated to the council in 2013, and the council said its removal came after an official request from the iwi or regional Waikato-Tainui tribe.
Anti-racism protesters had vowed to tear it down at a demonstration over the weekend, activist Taitimu Maipi calling Hamilton a murderer.
“How can we accept that he is a hero when he is a monster who fought battles,” Maipi told The Waikato Times.
Waikato-Tainui hailed the removal of the statue, saying he was discussing other problematic colonial names and symbols with the Hamilton council, including the prospect of restoring the city’s original Maori name, Kirikiriroa.
“It was a devastating time for our people and these injustices of the past should not be a continual reminder as we seek to grow and develop our beautiful city in the future,” said iiwi president Rukumoana Schaafhausen.
Statues and place names honoring figures such as slavers and colonial military figures are being re-evaluated worldwide in response to protests against racism sparked by police murder of African American man George Floyd.
Hamilton counsel said the fate of the British commander’s statue and what, if any, to replace it was still under discussion.
(This story has not been edited by GalacticGaming staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
