Black Lives Matter protester Jen Reid temporarily replaces Edward Colston’s statue in Bristol

The infamous statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol was replaced this morning. In it’s place the figure of Jen Reid.

Reid was one of protesters present for the Black Live Matter demonstration – directed by the team of the artist Marc Quinn – that was resulted in the slave traders statue being toppled over, last month. The new statute was inspired by a photograph of Reid standing on top of the plinth with her fist raised once it was removed.

Marvin Rees, the city’s mayor, issued a statement saying that “the future of the plinth and what is installed on it must be decided by the people of Bristol”.