SHOCKING footage shows Black Lives Matter protestors burning an American flag on top of a toppled statue of Christopher Columbus yesterday. The monument to the controversial Italian explorer, whose voyages helped Europe colonize the Americas in the 15 century, was pulled down in Richmond, Virginia. According to reports, the statue was ripped out using ropes, […]
SHOCKING footage shows Black Lives Matter protestors burning an American flag on top of a toppled statue of Christopher Columbus yesterday.
The monument to the controversial Italian explorer, whose voyages helped Europe colonize the Americas in the 15 century, was pulled down in Richmond, Virginia.
According to reports, the statue was ripped out using ropes, spray painted and then set on fire at around 9pm last night.
Footage from the scene shows an American flag burning on top of the monument before demonstrators threw it in a lake in the city’s Byrd Park.
Some were shown stomping on the sculpture while other cheered and celebrated.
A photographer for NBC 12 was reportedly attacked during the demonstrations which began peacefully earlier that day.
This follows the toppling of several other statues worldwide, including one of slave trader Edward Colston, which was thrown into a river in Bristol, England.
On Saturday, the statue of Confederate general William Carter Wickham was also removed using roped by protestors in Richmond.
Here's what you need to know...
Protests have erupted across the country following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.
The African American father died after police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest over an alleged fake bank note.
Video from the incident showed Floyd saying “I can’t breathe” multiple times – however Chauvin refused to move his knee.
Demonstrators have called for the end to police brutality and systemic racism as they show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s death are all facing charges.
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