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Key statues and monuments in London, including the Cenotaph in Whitehall, statues of Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela, are to be covered and protected ahead of planned Black Lives Matter protests this weekend, mayor Sadiq Khan said Friday.
In a statement from City Hall, Khan said he was extremely concerned further protests in central London not only risked spreading COVID-19 but could lead to disorder, vandalism and violence.
Khan said extreme far-right groups who advocate hatred and division are planning counter-protests in London.
"Be in no doubt these counter-protests are there to provoke violence, and their only goal is to distract and hijack this important issue. Staying home and ignoring them is the best response this weekend," said Khan.
He stressed that he stands with the millions of people around the world who are saying loud and clear that Black Lives Matter.
However, protests over the past weeks have shown it was difficult to maintain social distancing in large crowds, and the risk of spreading the disease at a protest is very real.
"There have been confirmed new cases amongst protesters around the world -- from the U.S. to Australia -- and I fear we will see the same here," he warned, urging people to stay at home over the next few days and find a safe way to make their voices heard.
London's Metropolitan Police is working on a robust policing plan to keep Londoners safe and to prevent disorder, as police officers are under growing pressure and strain with 62 of them having been injured, said Khan.
Protests in London and other British cities started after the death of the unarmed African American George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis of the United States.
Floyd was knelt on the neck by a white officer for almost nine minutes before he lost consciousness and stopped breathing.
It has already led to a number of historic statues and monuments linked to the slave trade being removed in Britain.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
