University College London –
FILE PHOTO – A statue of Cecil Rhodes, a controversial historic figure, is viewed outside Oriel College, following demonstrations for its removal in the aftermath of protests against the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minneapolis, in Oxford, Britain, June 18, 2020. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday that a statue of 19th century colonialist Cecil Rhodes could maybe per chance possess to composed no longer be pulled down from an Oxford University college attributable to historic past could maybe per chance possess to composed no longer be edited.
Oriel College, Oxford, said remaining month it wished to take a statue of Rhodes after a campaign by folks who argue the statue glorifies racism and is an insult to gloomy students.
Johnson suggested the Evening Well-liked newspaper he did not desire to take a look at the statue pulled down.
It would, he said, be fancy “making an try to bowdlerise or edit our historic past … fancy some baby-kisser sneakily making an try to trade his Wikipedia entry,” the Well-liked reported.
“I’m educated-heritage, I’m educated-historic past, and I’m in favour of of us knowing our past with all its imperfections,” he said.
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Modifying by Alistair Smout
