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Winston Churchill’s Whitehall statue has received extensive attention during recent anti-racism protests in London, as protesters spray-painted the words “was a racist” on its base. The act comes as the country starts to reconsider the history behind some of its statues, including those with a deeply rooted connection to the transatlantic slave trade and fascism. The wartime Prime Minister’s name has sprung up alongside his policy contribution to the devastating Bengal Famine of 1943 and has led officials to house the icon in a metal case.

How long will the Winston Churchill statue be boarded up?

Statues have received fierce attention in recent weeks as the country reconsiders its history, with demonstrators drawing up a list of those which portray figures with a controversial past.

Amongst them are several figures once regarded as heroes or philanthropists, such as the recently toppled Edward Colston of Bristol.

With the heated attention, London officials have boarded up part of the Cenotaph and the full memorial to Winston Churchill.

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• Sadiq Khan warns more London monuments to be boarded up as precaution

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also ensured “key statues” of notable Civil Rights leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Gandhi are also obscured.

City workers erected scaffolding to contain them last night ahead of Black Lives Matter protests taking place in the capital today.

There is no indication as to when workers might remove the scaffolding, and they will likely wait until there is no longer a danger of damage.

Organisers moved them forwards from the weekend once counter-demonstrators and far-right extremist groups announced they would “protect” the monuments.

Both the Prime Minister and the London Mayor have urged people to step back from protesting this weekend, following pockets of violence amid largely peaceful demonstrations last weekend.

Boris Johnson said it was “absurd and shameful” the statue had to be boarded up, while Mr Khan warned people not to fall into the “far-right trap”.

Commander Bas Javid, a Metropolitan Police Commander and older brother of former Chancellor Sajid Javid said the police would be “ready” for any violence.

He added the Metropolitan Police Service’s main tactic would be to “talk” to people rather than exert force.

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• Boris Johnson statement in FULL: Read PM’s response to statue-topplers

He said this afternoon: “We will learn from what happened last weekend.

“It’s accepted that a very, very small minority of people were intent on causing and engaging in violence.

“We absolutely don’t condone that, violence of any kind, particularly against police officers, particularly against property, and we’ll be ready for that.

“Our most valuable tactic is to speak to people, make sure they understand the risks but also what they can do to make sure we have a peaceful demonstration.”

Speaking on LBC radio this morning, Sadiq Khan asked those who “care passionately about Black Lives Matter” to consider the UK’s situation.

The mayor said: “I’m not someone who says these things lightly.

“I think protest is an integral part of living in a democracy. But actually, we’re in the midst of a global pandemic.

“And we now know that the extreme far-right will be having counter-protests.”

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