LONDON – Just days before Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2, which is also the International Day of Non-Violence, graffiti was found on a bronze statue of him in London’s Tavistock Square. The Indian High Commission in London has strongly condemned the event that was reported on Monday.
Photos that are going around on social media show that the base of the famous statue, which was unveiled in 1968, was covered in graffiti. The Indian High Commission called the graffiti a “shameful act,” but they didn’t say what it looked like in public.
The High Commission said on social media site X, “This is not just vandalism; it’s a violent attack on the idea of nonviolence, three days before the international day of nonviolence and on the legacy of the Mahatma.”
The High Commission said it has “taken this up strongly with local authorities for immediate action” and that a team is on the scene to help restore the statue. The Camden Council and the Metropolitan Police, among other local agencies, have said that they are looking into the incident.
Fredda Brilliant made the statue, which shows Gandhi sitting in a peaceful stance. It was unveiled in 1968 to mark the 100th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth. The fact that this is where Gandhi studied law at University College London from 1888 to 1891 makes it important. Every year, this place is the center of Gandhi Jayanti celebrations, which include floral tributes and memorial services.
This isn’t the first time someone has tried to damage a Gandhi statue in the UK. During protests against racism in 2020, another Gandhi statue in Parliament Square was also damaged.