Oxford college now wants Cecil Rhodes statue to go

The ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ demand was raised in 2016 as part of similar campaigns on campuses in various countries to de-colonise curriculum and remove symbols of racism, imperialism and slave trade. It got a fillip with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign.

After years of mounting protest, the governing body of Oriel College in the University of Oxford has now backed the demand that the statue of imperialist Cecil Rhodes on its building is removed, but launched an inquiry to go into the issues involved.

A statue of Cecil Rhodes is seen outside Oriel College. The development comes in the context of recent demonstrations in Oxford, London, Bristol and elsewhere as part of the BLM campaign. (Reuters photo)

The ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ demand was raised in 2016 as part of similar campaigns on campuses in various countries to de-colonise curriculum and remove symbols of racism, imperialism and slave trade. It got a fillip with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) campaign.

A wire mesh was put around the statue to prevent damage to it during the campaign in 2016, when a large number of students demonstrated to remove it. Rhodes and his background in colonialism and imperialism are seen as an unwelcome symbol in the modern era.

Rhodes donated large sums of money to Oxford that includes the Rhodes Scholarship awarded to many bright students from across the world, including India.

The college said that the governing body voted to launch an independent commission of inquiry into the key issues surrounding the Rhodes statue, and expressed their wish to remove the statue and the King Edward Street Plaque.

“Both of these decisions were reached after a thoughtful period of debate and reflection and with the full awareness of the impact these decisions are likely to have in Britain and around the world”, the college said in a statement.

The development comes in the context of recent demonstrations in Oxford, London, Bristol and elsewhere as part of the BLM campaign. The statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston was pulled down in Bristol.

The college added: “The commission will deal with the issue of the Rhodes legacy and how to improve access and attendance of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) undergraduate, graduate students and faculty, together with a review of how the college’s 21st Century commitment to diversity can sit more easily with its past”.

The commission, it said, will invite submissions from a broad range of stakeholders from Oxford and the UK; from representatives of the ‘Rhodes Must Fall’ campaign and the Oxford City Council, besides alumni and citizens.