Resolved

Francisco Franco Statue in Melilla
#147

Francisco Franco Statue in Melilla

Spain

By Contested Histories Initiative

The death of Francisco Franco in 1975 brought to close a painful era in Spanish History. In 2007 Spain enacted the Historical Memory Law, which formally condemns the Franco Regime and mandates the removal of public tributes to Franco. His statue in Melilla was one of the only remaining depictions… Read More

#290

Leopold II Statue in Kinshasa

Democratic Republic of Congo

By Jade

In 1967, an equestrian statue of Belgian King Leopold II, the owner and absolute ruler of the Free State of Congo from 1886 to 1908, was taken down and discarded on the outskirts of Kinshasa, in today’s Democratic Republic of Congo, as part of President Mobutu’s postcolonial re-indigenising policy. In… Read More

Equestian Statue of Habib Bourgiba waving
#154

Habib Bourguiba Statue in Tunis

Tunisia

By Jade

After 30 years since the statue of Tunisia’s first president Habib Bourguiba was removed, it returned to central Tunis in June 2016. The return of the statue was intended to be a grand gesture of patriotism, around which all Tunisian’s could unite. It became clear, however, that the move was… Read More

Statue of Women and Man holding a child elevated above the Dakar Skyline
#247

African Renaissance Monument in Dakar

Senegal

By Jade

The African Renaissance Monument is a 50-meter tall statue in Dakar, Senegal, erected in 2010 as the project of then-President Abdoulaye Wade. It serves to commemorate the ‘African Renaissance,’ a political ideology that heralds a goal of growth and prosperity for the African continent in the 21st century. However, the… Read More

Cross section view of stone Pavois Monument encased in concrete shell exhibited in museum in Paris
#2

Monument to the Dead (Le Pavois) in Algiers

Algeria

By Jade

Built after the First World War, ‘Le Pavois’ was meant to symbolise unification between Europe and Africa. However, to the people of Algier, it is a symbol of the colonial past and French oppression. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, discussions between city representatives and local artists arose about the… Read More

Bronze statue of soldier at Tallin Military Cemetary in Estonia
#53

Bronze Soldier Statue in Tallinn

Estonia

By Jade

In late April 2007, a series of violent street protests involving arson and looting erupted over plans to relocate a bronze statue of a Red Army soldier from a park in central Tallinn to a military cemetery on the outskirts of the city.  Known as the Bronze Nights, these protests… Read More

Section of the National Stadium of Chilie in Santiago
#29

The Stands of Dignity and Escotilla 8 in Santiago

Chile

By Jade

Following the military coup against Salvador Allende in September 1973, the Chilean Armed Forces transformed the former stadium of Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos into the country’s largest detention centre for political prisoners, where abuse was rife. Following the transition to democracy, the Estadio Nacional possessed a complicated status functioning… Read More

Statue of Hans Egede with staff blue sky and sea with wreath hanging on it
#27

Hans Egede Statue in Nuuk, Kalaallit Nunaat

Greenland

By Jade

The vandalism of the Hans Egede statue in June 2020, and subsequent discussions surrounding the suitability of its positioning upon a mountaintop in Nuuk, catalysed debate over the colonial past, present, and future of Greenland, known to its indigenous population as Kalaallit Nunaat. Following a community-based political debate and vote,… Read More

Statue of Cecil Rhodes sitting locaded on steps of the Univerity of Cape Town campus.
#104

Cecil John Rhodes Statue at the University of Cape Town in Cape Town

South Africa

By Jade September 30, 2021

In 2015 the #Rhodesmustfall protests erupted at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The resulting debate and movement soon spread globally, with similar protests occurring at the University of Oxford. This case study shows how protests over symbolic historical representations can draw wider attention to issues of structural… Read More