Poole to take down statue of Scouts founder Baden-Powell
A statue of the worldwide founder of the Scouts is to be removed in Poole in the wake of anti-racism protests across the UK.
The state of Robert Baden-Powell, who is remembered for establishing the Scouts movement in 1907, will be moved into storage today.
Its presence in Poole has long been disputed by critics due to his affiliations with fascism and support of Adolf Hitler.
“Whilst famed for the creation of the Scouts, we also recognise that there are some aspects of Robert Baden-Powell’s life that are considered less worthy of commemoration,” council leader Vikki Slade said.
A spokesperson for the Scouts movement told Reuters: “The Scout movement is resolute in its commitment to inclusion and diversity and members continually reflect and challenge ourselves in how we live our values.”
The move follows the forced removal of a statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston by protestors in Bristol last week, who threw it into a river. The local council retrieved the statue today and intend to display it in a local museum.
In the capital, a statue of slave trader Robert Milligan was removed from its plinth outside the Museum of London Docklands on Tuesday. Mayor Sadiq Khan has pledged to review all statues and street names in the city.
Protests against the controversial presence of other statues across the UK, such as one of Cecil Rhodes in Oxford, continue.