All have had their statues torn down or
defaced over recent months. This partial list
does not include slave traders, but rather presidents, royals,
explorers, entrepreneurs, writers, priests -- even Jesus had his statue beheaded in a church. (But that's not as bad as the way he is said to have met his real end.) Even a tribute to elk herds of Oregon was attacked! Even one for “pioneer women” of the U.S. No one is safe from some ideologue's wrath (there will always be one … possibly on a City Council near you.)
Some recipients of the topple-treatment are relatively obscure. Do most people have a clue who Alexander Baranov, Junipero Serra, Matthew Maury or Robert Milligan were? Ironically, they have become better known after de-platforming than they were before. Being knocked down gave them a new platform.
So now we know: Alexander Baranov was a Russian merchant who led settlements in what became Alaska, and fought the Tlingit tribes who massacred the Russian settlers. (His statue was in Sitka, Alaska.) Matthew F. Maury was an oceanographer, astronomer and officer in the Confederate Navy. Junipero Serra, Spanish Roman Catholic priest, founded missions in California, and Robert Milligan was a West Indian trader and sugar producer who founded London's international trading hub, the West India Docks on the Thames. Having their statues toppled brought these folks renewed recognition.
The winner though of anti-popularity-that-brings-fame, is Christopher Columbus, who receives the “Most Statues Toppled” prize. Scrawling on one, someone helpfully assured us that “all colonizers must die”. Die?? So much for the peace movement. Remember the "Peace & Love" 1960s, when peace and civil rights seemed to go together? (Silly '60s folk -- so un-woke.)
The owner of a sports team, the Carolina Panthers (Jerry Richardson), was attacked because he “allegedly made sexist and racist remarks” (The Federalist). So he's possibly unpleasant -- but hopefully he doesn't have to die.
De-platforming can be intersectional though. A Cherokee general in the Confederate Army was included, as was the conquistador who founded the State of New Mexico despite opposition to his toppling from the American Hispanic community. Certain contemporary artists who create the memorials also have a problem with the toppling fad.
Everybody is hated by somebody. It's interesting though that if you've done something notable you get a statue, but it's only when the statue's knocked down that you know you've really "arrived".
Some stats from thefederalist.com: of 183 statue vandalizing incidents 177 led to no arrests; most monuments taken down have been removed by city officials after threats from protesters, some for their safety; the whereabouts of most of the rescued sculptures are now unknown.
Where has the City of Victoria put John A. Macdonald?!
