Thousands of pounds raised to restore grave of enslaved African man in Bristol
Thousands of pounds have been raised to help restore the grave of an enslaved African man that was vandalised in Bristol following the removal of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston.
Two headstones in memory of Scipio Africanus, who lived in the city in the 18th century, were smashed and a message scrawled in chalk on flagstones nearby.
It called for a statue of Colston, which was pulled down and thrown into the harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest on 7 June, to be put back or “things will really heat up”.
Police have launched an investigation into the attack, which is believed to have happened on Tuesday or Wednesday.
On Friday, a JustGiving page to raise funds for the restoration of the memorial had raised more than £2,500.
Archaeologist Richard Osgood, who set up the page, wrote: “This headstone was destroyed in June 2020.
“Whatever one’s politics, the desecration of a grave, a place of memorial to an innocent, is abhorrent.
“Please let us demonstrate our shared humanity and inherent good of the people in this country, and make sure it is restored.”
