THE statue of the founder of the Scouts Robert Baden-Powell that is located on Poole Quay was set to be removed today and temporarily placed in what was being described as “safe storage”. The move was occurring following allegations of misdemeanours by Mr Baden-Powell and apparent “Nazi sympathies”.
However, since this announcement the Deputy Leader of the BCP council has subsequently announced that the statue would NOT be removed today as planned following furious locals defending the statue. The council have stated that the contractors do not want to work in a “circus. However, the long term future of the statue remains far from clear. One local resident has said “We don’t want that statue going anywhere. If the police can’t protect it, we will. It is not coming down. Shame on the council for being weak and giving in to thuggery”.
Those campaigning for the removal of the statue have stated that the founding of the scouting movement “can be no excuse for his documented homophobia, racism and enthusiastic support of Hitler”.
The Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council leader Vikki Slade had announced that : “Whilst famed for the creation of the Scouts, we also recognise that there are some aspects of Robert Baden-Powell’s life that are considered less worthy of commemoration.
Therefore, we are removing the statue so that we can properly involve all relevant communities and groups in discussions about its future, including whether a more educational presentation of his life in a different setting might be more appropriate”.
The ‘Topple the Racists’ website has had identified dozens of statues across the UK, which are on its hitlist. The statue was first erected in 2008 and faces Brownsea Island and has become a celebration point for the Scouts.
The local Councillor Mark Howell has said that he believes “on balance” that Robert Baden-Powell’s contribution to society was “positive”. Andrew Williams who is the the chairman of Poole Scout District Executive said he had not been contacted prior to the announcement of the news and that his initial reaction to the news was that it must have been “a hoax”.
In response to the news that the statue was not be removed today, the Brexit Party MEP, who has been interviewed UNN’s Oliver Down when she was a Brexit Party MEP has said “As ever, do not try to take on the British public, cast aspersions on our moral compass, dictate what we should and shouldn’t say or think, assume we want history re-written or think for a minute that rule by mob supersedes rule of law”.
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Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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