Vandalism

I had a rush request to photograph this statue which was vandalised last week.  By coincidence I photographed it for the Sculpture Project last month when it was intact. 

They were keen to get these new images so they can do a before and after presentation at an event next week.

I've shown a bit more detail of the damage in the Extras and the final one is what it looked like when I did the original set of pictures last month. 

Statues are quite often subject to attack.  It can be because our parks and high streets often have statues of some pretty unsavoury historical characters.  I can understand  campaigns to remove these.  (campaigns not destruction). 

However this certainly doesn't apply in this case as it isn't a named soldier - its just a memorial to the fallen. paid for by comrades and friends. 

So the other possible cause could be the fact that its for the second Boer War 1899 - 1902.  So a protest against British Foreign Policy and Colonialism wouldn't be out of the question.

I spoke to a policeman on Monday and they are certain there is no cause involved here - it was just wanton vandalism.  At this stage no one knows if it will ever be repaired, so my set of images of it from last month have increased in importance.