Petition · past parliament

Erect a statute of Olaudah Equiano where the statue of Colston stood.

Rejected 18 signatures

What the petition asks

At this moment it would be a powerful symbol of reconciliation: "I hope to [see] the renovation of liberty and justice resting on the British government, to vindicate the honour of our common nature.”
Only if this is enacted by HM government will it have the desired effect.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

Decisions about individual historical monuments, statues, plaques and street names are a matter for the local authority in which they are located and private landowners, not the UK Government or Parliament.

If you want to raise concerns about a particular historical monument or statue you should contact your local authority about this.

The Local Government Association has published an advice note to help councils work to ensure all sections of the community feel heard by decision-makers and each other: https://www.local.gov.uk/topics/community-safety/statues

Timeline

8 Jun 2020 Petition opened for signatures
19 Jun 2020 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 18
Status Rejected
Rejected 19 Jun 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.