Men allegedly involved in toppling of Colston statue offered cautions

Five men allegedly involved in the toppling of the statue of the slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol have been offered cautions by the police on the condition they explain the reasons for their actions to a history commission.

The men would also have to pay a fine that would go to a charity supporting people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in Bristol.

Detectives will send their file of evidence on three other men and one woman to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for it to decide whether they should be charged over the incident.

The statue was pulled from its plinth and rolled into Bristol harbour on Sunday 7 June during a Black Lives Matter demonstration. It was later recovered from the water by Bristol city council and assessed to have sustained £3,750-worth of damage.

A 25-year-old man was arrested while seven men and a woman were asked to attend a police station for a voluntary interview.

On Friday, Avon and Somerset police said its investigation had been completed.

It said: “Following a review of the evidence, detectives will now approach the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision against four people – three men, aged 32, 25 and 21, and a 29-year-old woman.

“The remaining five people – men aged 18, 20, 29, 33 and 47 – have been identified as suitable for an out-of-court disposal and we have written to them to offer a conditional caution for the offence of causing criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

“Those offered the conditional caution have been given a week to decide whether they want to accept it. Should any of them choose not to accept, officers will approach the CPS to seek a charging decision to be made.”

The force said the conditions of the caution were:

• To complete a questionnaire from the history commission set up by Bristol city council, in which they can set out the reasons for their actions.

• To pay a fine of £100 that will be sent to Nilaari, a Bristol-based charity supporting BAME communities. This is the maximum fine that can be issued as part of a conditional caution for this particular offence.

• To take part in two hours of environmental improvement works arranged and supervised by Bristol city council. This may include painting or the removal of rubbish/graffiti.