Oxford’s Oriel College votes for statue of Cecil Rhodes to be taken down

Campaigners have been fighting for this for YEARS


It has just been announced that the controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes that currently resides at Oxford University has been recommended for removal.

There has been an ongoing row over the statue, which pays tribute to the 19th century industrialist who donated a huge sum to Oriel College in his will, with campaign group Rhodes Must Fall saying the statue must be removed. Rhodes was a self-confessed and proud white supremacist and he co-founded the De Beers company which essentially colonised southern Africa.

Today it has been announced that the Governing Body of Oriel College has voted to launch an independent Commission of Inquiry into issues surrounding the Rhodes statue. They also expressed their wish to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the King Edward Street Plaque.

A statement by the College said: “The Governing Body of Oriel College has today voted to launch an independent Commission of Inquiry into the key issues surrounding the Rhodes statue.

“They also expressed their wish to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes and the King Edward Street Plaque. This is what they intend to convey to the Independent Commission of Inquiry.

“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 commission will deal with the issue of the Rhodes legacy and how to improve access and attendance of BAME 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 statement also confirmed the Governing Body has approved the appointment of an independent Chair for the Commission of the Inquiry, Carole Souter CBE, who will approach a number of individuals from academia, education policy, law, politics and journalism. It adds: “The commission is intending to draw upon the greatest possible breadth and depth of experience, opinion and background.”

Featured image via Instagram (@rhodesmustfalloxford)

Related stories recommended by this writer:

Who was Cecil Rhodes and why do people want his statue removed?

• The 60 statues in the UK Black Lives Matter wants torn down

• Exclusive: We spoke to the man who pulled down the Colston statue in Bristol