A statue of Belgium’s King Leopold II is defaced with the words ‘shame’ prior to a Black Lives Matter protest rally in Brussels, on Sunday, June 7. The approaching "truth and reconciliation" commission is a historical reckoning that Belgium has put off for generations.

[10] He used explorer Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, an area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Frantzen has proposed changes to make the artwork's meaning more clear. Leopold used a private army to coerce Africans to gather wild rubber from the vines of the rainforests.

// adslot0 = googletag.defineSlot('/312997750/ATF', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-ATF'). (CNN)While statues of slave traders, imperialists and US Confederate leaders are being torn down, removed or protested against in the English-speaking world, Belgium has begun removing statues of its one-time King Leopold II. A statue of King Leopold II … "There are two clans forming now: Those who want to remove the colonial past and another who are attached to their history or who remain convinced that Belgian colonialism was positive," Gosuin said, adding: "We should profit from this moment, to give another vision of history. // adsmobileslot = googletag.defineSlot('/312997750/NEW_SITE_MOBILE_TOP_ALL', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1559116370415-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); It is not clear if the bust was defaced as a part of the protest. Noah is keen to stress that the story of Belgium's "human zoo" is anything but ancient history, pointing out that the mock-African village was revived for the World Expo in Brussels in 1958. It was the first time in Belgium's history a reigning king has expressed regret for the violence carried out by the former colonial power when it ruled over the African country. ", Its creator, Tom Frantzen, has said it was never intended as an homage to the king, but that he had to be subtle in his criticism of Leopold, because he had been commissioned to create a tribute to him. A first cousin of Queen Victoria, he ruled at a time when Europeans were colonizing -- that is, conquering -- other parts of the world. Leopold ruled Belgium during 1865-1909 and plundered DR Congo as if it were his personal fiefdom, forcing many of its people into slavery. All Rights Reserved. KING LEOPOLD II is the latest historical figure to have a statue of his likeness removed from the public, with Black Lives Matter protests raging on around the world.

"We're thinking of making a special showcase with King Leopold II busts and then give a contrasting message at the same time. [10], From the beginning, Leopold ignored these conditions and millions of Congolese inhabitants, including children, was mutilated and killed. A statue of former Belgian king Leopold II has been removed in the city of Ghent as Belgium marked the 60th anniversary of the end of its colonial rule in the Democratic Republic of Congo. // var adslot0; A statue of King Leopold II in the Belgian town of Antwerp was removed on Tuesday with its long-term future set for a museum, just days after being daubed with paint by anti-racism protesters. // googletag.cmd.push(function(){ Legal notice | [6] It is not statutes that should educate. The face of the bust was covered with a canvas with the message “I can’t breathe,” the last words of George Floyd, the black man who died after a white police officer put his knee on his neck for minutes in the United States last week, resulting in protests against police violence across the world.
// fetchMarginPercent: 500, Leopold sent in a private army to force local people to collect ivory and rubber. It was pure racism," said Gryseels. TOPLINE.

On Monday, a protest against racism took place in Ghent, with about 500 attendees who gathered on the Sint-Pietersplein in the city, while respecting the social distancing measures, reports Het Nieuwsblad. Contact "That wasn't that long ago," he said. Noah says he too has faced racist taunts and abuse. A statue of former Belgian king Leopold II has been removed in the city of Ghent as Belgium marked the 60th anniversary of the end of its colonial rule in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hundreds ask Brussels court for coronavirus measures to... Vilvoorde will go in ‘partial lockdown’ if coronavirus... Russia will mirror EU sanctions over Navalny poisoning... Only 2 EU areas remain restriction-free for Belgian travellers from Friday, Coronavirus in Leuven sewers shows city is now red all over, Hundreds ask Brussels court for coronavirus measures to be lifted, Vilvoorde will go in ‘partial lockdown’ if coronavirus barometer is delayed, Russia will mirror EU sanctions over Navalny poisoning, Brexit: von der Leyen and Michel will negotiate with Boris Johnson tonight, Brussels hospitals told to reserve 50% of ICU beds for Covid patients, Covid-19: overloaded Brussels contact tracers switch to texting, Covid-19: Belgian nurse sentenced for spitting on police officers during lockdown, This is a second wave, Belgian expert confirms, Additional €7.7 billion may be needed to prepare EU for next pandemic, Coronalert tracing app respects all privacy rules, crisis centre assures, Search begins for ‘Best Shrimp Croquette in Brussels’, Belgian intensive care will be full by mid-November if rise continues, Coronavirus: Netherlands enters partial lockdown from tonight, Council of State overturns Brussels prostitution ban, Belgium in Brief: Netherlands Locks Down, Belgium Takes Measures, WTO allows EU to impose one of its largest sanctions ever on US, Belgium’s coronavirus average almost doubles: over 5,000 new cases per day, Brussels’ better Covid figures ‘likely’ due to lack of tests. Copyright © 2019 The Brussels Times. In recent years, a consensus of around 10 million deaths has been reached among historians. ", The teenager taking on a king and country, Angry Thai protesters obstruct royal motorcade, Meghan Markle explains why she is not on social media, Church could make teen 'genius' first millennial saint, 'I have to live in a cage': See how this city copes with its monkey population, Police use water cannons against protesters in Nigeria, See Kim Jong Un choke up during speech at massive, elaborate parade, Autistic teen draws in black after mom got Covid-19, Nigerian police use teargas at protest against police brutality, Watch WFP chief's elated reaction to winning Nobel Peace Prize, Armenian President: 'God help everybody' if conflict escalates, See mother's emotional reunion with son after captivity, Prince William: Earthshot Prize is about optimism, Thousands of abandoned chicks die at Madrid's airport, CNN goes inside US surveillance flight over the Black Sea, Drone footage shows surfer's close encounter with shark, An American policeman killed George Floyd. perhaps because many Belgians have done humanitarian work in Congo, and African migration to Belgium has only arrived in recent decades, says Van Hoof, the Belgian MP. You're not going to shout that around, you will stay silent," he said. A statue of Belgium’s King Leopold II, who became ultra wealthy from the enslavement of Congolese people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was removed by … DW sends out a daily selection of the day's news and features. [11], On 9 June 2020, Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein said that the city council "takes the fight against racism very seriously" but "replacing or removing statues will not happen". A petition to remove such statues is ongoing until 30 June 2020, the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium. "They want to make me feel like it isn't my country and it isn't my place here.". In the meantime, the sculpture has been doused in red paint, and given a dunce's cap for good measure. [1] This was a reference to how Congolese slaves' hands were cut off if they did not produce enough rubber during Leopold's colonial regime. "It is not just one story, there is some nuance," she said. Statue of Belgium's King Leopold II is removed in Antwerp after it was vandalised by anti-racism protesters because of his colonial rule. Officially, the manifestation was not allowed to continue, but because everyone wore face masks, kept their distance and stayed calm, the authorities did not intervene. The movement against racism and injustice is truly global! // googletag.cmd.push(function(){ So instead, Leopold convinced European powers and the United States to recognize a massive swath of Africa as his own. We use cookies to improve our service for you. The statue, set high on a concrete plinth, has stood opposite the Royal Palace in Brussels since 1926.

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