Sadiq Khan unveils taskforce to review capital’s landmarks to ensure they ‘reflect diversity’

Sadiq Khan has unveiled his diversity taskforce that will review London’s landmarks in the wake of last year’s Black Lives Matter protests.

The 15-strong team includes an academic who implied that all international examples of white supremacy can be traced back to Britain, and an activist who once marched up to the Queen to demand she apologise for historical injustices. 

The project has come under fire from campaigners wary that monuments of our national past – no matter how uncomfortable – could be erased.

But the Mayor of London stressed the purpose of the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm was not to remove statues, but to ‘raise public understanding’. 

Statues, street names, building names and memorials in the capital will all come under the spotlight.

Sadiq Khan has unveiled his diversity taskforce that will review London’s landmarks in the wake of last year’s Black Lives Matter protests

Toyin Agbetu grabbed headlines in 2007 after disturbing a ceremony at Westminster Abbey marking the abolition of slavery

Toyin Agbetu grabbed headlines in 2007 after disturbing a ceremony at Westminster Abbey marking the abolition of slavery

The thorny subject of evaluating existing statues will be probed by the panel – many of whom have already been publicly outspoken on the matter.  

Toyin Agbetu, a social rights activist, praised activists who painted red the hands of slaver Robert Geffrye’s statue in Hackney, to symbolise the ‘blood on his hands’.

He hailed them as committing ‘a transgressive, yet progressive act of public service’ by ‘making visible the history and human cost of those involved in such monstrous evil’. 

Agbetu grabbed headlines in 2007 after disturbing a ceremony at Westminster Abbey marking the abolition of slavery. 

With both the Queen and PM Tony Blair present, he said: ‘You should be ashamed. We should not be here. This is an insult to us.’

The Commission also includes prominent art critic Aindrea Emelife, who supported the statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston being replaced with a BLM activist.

Colston was memorably ripped down and thrown into the harbour during protests last year.

It also includes famous faces such as Emmy-winning actor Riz Ahmed, who has starred in Star Wars: Rogue One and US series The Night Of

The Commission also includes prominent art critic Aindrea Emelife

It also includes famous faces such as Emmy-winning actor Riz Ahmed (left), who has starred in Star Wars: Rogue One and US series The Night Of. The Commission also includes prominent art critic Aindrea Emelife (right)

It has been replaced with a likeness of Jen Reid, the BLM protester who climbed up on the empty plinth and clenched her fist in the style of Black Power.  

At the time, Ms Emelife she described ‘seeing the crane lift this up onto the plinth from our lookout point. The rush of adrenaline as this project is realised guerrilla style.’ 

City Hall said the panel was selected through an ‘open recruitment process’ and will serve initially for two years.

It also includes famous faces such as Emmy-winning actor Riz Ahmed, who has starred in Star Wars: Rogue One and US series The Night Of. 

A staunch critic of the Prime Minister, on a television show he once called Mr Johnson ‘an out-and-out complete c***’ who is ‘overtly racist’ and ‘blatantly lies to the public’.   

He also said he hates the word ‘diversity’ because it does not equate with true representation.  

Fellow panellist, business academic Lynette Nabbosa, who founded an organisation for role models to engage with black youth, has previously suggested that white supremacy is rooted in British history.

She wrote in October: ‘The UK seems to be the common denominator in atrocities across the world. 

Colston was memorably ripped down and thrown into the harbour during protests last year

Colston was memorably ripped down and thrown into the harbour during protests last year

‘No matter where you find examples of white supremacy, all roads lead back to my country of birth.

‘It was the UK’s racism that birthed slavery and colonialism. We say it is in the past but our schools, colleges, universities, streets, museums etc have never stopped honouring the enforcers of our oppression.’ 

Mr Khan announced his intention to establish the Commission last July following the police killing of George Floyd in the United States.

The death reverberated across the world, and spurred activists in the UK to topple and deface statues of historical figures. 

Announcing the panel, Mr Khan said: ‘For far too long, too many Londoners have felt unrepresented by the statues, street names and building names all around them, and it’s important that we do what we can to ensure our rich and diverse history is celebrated and properly commemorated in our city.

‘I’m delighted to bring together this inspiring group of leaders from across London to form the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm. Each member brings with them great insight and knowledge that will help to improve the representation of our public landscape.’

Full list of members of Sadiq Khan’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Toyin Agbetu – social rights activist and founder of Ligali

Riz Ahmed – Actor, writer, creator, producer, musician, director and activist

Robert Bevan – architecture critic for the Evening Standard

David Bryan MBA FRSA – chair of Battersea Arts Centre, Brixton House and Voluntary Arts

Aindrea Emelife – art historian, writer, independent curator and presenter

Pedro Gil – director and founder of Studio Gil

Jack Guinness – founder of The Queer Bible

Gillian Jackson – director of engagement at the House of St Barnabas and a trustee of Culture24

Reverend Professor Keith Magee Th.D., FRSA – Senior Fellow in Culture and Justice at UCL

Lynette Nabbosa – founder of Elimu

Sandy Nairne CBE FSA – historian and curator

Eleanor Pinfield – director of Art on the Underground and member of the Fourth Plinth Commissioning Group

Jasvir Singh OBE – chair of City Sikhs

Binki Taylor – Brixton business owner and partner in the Brixton Project

Dr Zoé Whitley – director at Chisenhale Gallery