UK statue debate: Boris Johnson says Black Lives Matter protests ‘hijacked by extremists’

London’s statues have been boarded up as UK PM Boris Johnson says the anti-racism protests in Britain have been “hijacked by extremists”.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says the anti-racism protests taking place across Britain have been “hijacked by extremists intent on violence” and described the boarding up of historical statues as “shameful” and “absurd”.

Several statues, including one of Britain’s wartime leader Winston Churchill outside parliament in London and the Cenotaph in Whitehall, have been boarded up as the capital prepares for three days of Black Lives Matter protests.

The Cenotaph, which commemorates Britain’s war dead, was spray-painted with the letters “BLM” during a rally last week, while the statue of Churchill was vandalised with the words “was a racist”.

A statue of British wartime leader Winston Churchill has been boarded up on parliament Square in central London. Picture: Tolga Akmen/AFP

Scaffolders worked through the night to cover the statue. Picture: Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP

A protective barrier has also been installed around the bottom of the Cenotaph. Picture: Peter Summers/Getty Images

“The statue of Winston Churchill in parliament Square is a permanent reminder of his achievement in saving this country – and the whole of Europe – from a fascist and racist tyranny,” Mr Johnson said on Friday.

“It is absurd and shameful that this national monument should today be at risk of attack by violent protesters. Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero, and he fully deserves his memorial,” he added.

“We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history. The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations.

“They had different perspectives, different understandings of right and wrong. But those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults. To tear them down would be to lie about our history, and impoverish the education of generations to come.”

We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history. The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations. 3/8

— Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 12, 2020

Mr Johnson said he understood the outrage people were feeling following the death of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis, but implored people to “stay away” from demonstrations over the weekend.

“Whatever progress this country has made in fighting racism – and it has been huge – we all recognise that there is much more work to do,” he said.

“But it is clear that the protests have been sadly hijacked by extremists intent on violence. The attacks on the police and indiscriminate acts of violence which we have witnessed over the last week are intolerable and they are abhorrent.

“The only responsible course of action is to stay away from these protests.”

RELATED: Black Lives Matter protesters topple statues across Europe

A worker cleans the Churchill statue after it was spray painted with the words 'was a racist'. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Most marches in London have been peaceful, with few flashes of violence. Picture: Justin Tallis/AFP

Graffiti covers a statue of Robert Dundas, 2nd Viscount Melville, on Melville Street in Edinburgh. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP)

‘THESE MONUMENTS NEED PROTECTING’

MPs also condemned the boarding up of statues, with monuments to Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi also covered up in London.

"I think it's very sad that this is deemed necessary to prevent criminal damage, when senior decision makers in the police are saying that they won't intervene to prevent these crimes taking place,” MP Ben Bradley told The Sun.

"These monuments need protecting, but having to board them up speaks volumes about the gravity of the situation as it stands.

"It's not about race now, this whole debate and protest, it's about our history and heritage, and attempts to edit the past to make it more palatable for a minority of very vocal people."

A spokesman for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the statue of Churchill was being “temporarily covered for its protection”.

“The overwhelming majority of protests have been peaceful, but after recent damage the decision was taken by the GLA City Operations Unit to cover it,” they said.

Protesters take part in a Take The Knee demonstration in solidarity with Black Lives Matter in Brixton, south west London. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

A statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader, was toppled by anti-racism protesters in Bristol, southwest England. Picture: Handout/various sources/AFP

The death of George Floyd, who died in custody under the knee of a white police officer, has sparked fierce debate in Britain over its monuments to people involved in the country’s imperialist past.

Sculptures of slave traders have been taken down and local authorities have said they may remove a statue of the founder of the worldwide scouting movement, Robert Baden-Powell, to protect it.

Black Lives Matter protesters are due to gather again on Friday in central London, despite warnings from Mr Khan to stay home.

"My message to all those planning to protest over the next few days for #BlackLivesMatter: For yourselves, your family members who may be vulnerable to COVID-19, and for the wider cause, please stay at home and find a safe way to make your voices heard,” he said.

A loose grouping of football fans who describe themselves as patriots but are criticised by opponents as hooligans, and supporters of a right-wing leader, Tommy Robinson, have said they will gather in London on Saturday to protect statues.