The words 'what's going on' were drawn in apparent reference to Crowther's role in the exhumation of William Lunn's body. Photo: ABC Australia
Australian activists have toppled a statue of a colonial governor who exhumed the body of an Aboriginal man for scientific research.< /p>
The bronze statue of William Crowther, which has stood in the square in the center of Hobart, Tasmania, since 1889, was sawed off by ankles.
After years of discussion, Hobart council had already voted to remove the statue, but activists beat them to it.
The words “what's going on around here” were written on the plinth, apparently referring to Crowther's role . in the exhumation and mutilation of the body of William Lunn, the last “full-blooded” Aboriginal living in Tasmania.
Nicknamed “King Billy”, he was born on the island's west coast and became a successful whaler before dying in 1869 at the age of 34 from dysentery and cholera.
Crowther, a surgeon and politician who was Tasmania's premier from 1878 to 1879, has been a controversial figure for decades, with Aboriginal groups calling for his statue to be removed.
He broke into the Hobart mortuary, beheaded Lunn's corpse and replaced the skull with that of another corpse to cover up the crime.
Lunn's skull was then sent to the Royal College of Surgeons in London to support now-discredited notions of white supremacy.
The statue stands on square in the center of Hobart, Tasmania, since 1889. Photo: ABC Australia
The skull was returned by Britain and given a proper burial in 1991, more than 120 years after it was removed.
Officials acknowledged Crowther was a controversial historical figure but condemned act of vandalism.
Michael Stretton, chief executive of Hobart Council, said CCTV footage would be reviewed as part of the investigation into the attack.
“It is disappointing to see acts like this where [the vandals] have taken away the future.” the statue into his own hands,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The statue was sawed off at the ankles with the inscription “what's going on around”; spraying onto the pedestal. Photo: ABC Australia
Michael Ferguson, Deputy Prime Minister of Tasmania, said: “Terrible things have happened in our history, but history cannot be solved through vandalism. Regardless of anyone's feelings or feelings, good intentions or anything else, this is not how we run civil society.”
Aboriginal activists have been campaigning for the statue's removal for years.
Nala Mansell, campaign director for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, said while she did not condone the vandalism of the statue, she was glad it was gone.
“I think it shows that Tasmanians are people who understand what is good and what is bad [and] say: “Enough is enough.” We have fought for decades to ensure that this does not happen again. Well done to them for taking such action and doing what should have been done a long time ago.”
“Vandalism does not build bridges”
The decision to remove the statue was first made in 2022, and then was made on the condition of unsuccessful appeals to the Tasmanian tribunal.
Activists removed the statue before the tribunal announced on Wednesday morning that the appeal had been rejected.
Hobart would have been “the first city in Australia to decide to remove a colonial statue”, the council said. statement.
After years of discussion, Hobart council has actually already voted to remove the statue – but activists beat them to it
Damaged statue will now be repaired and put into storage.
It will be replaced by a temporary sign that will “offer greater understanding of the historical context of the time, particularly the actions and influence of William Crowther and his handling of Aboriginal remains,” the council said on Wednesday.
Anna Reynolds, Lord Mayor of Hobart, said she was deeply disappointed that the statue was attacked before it had a chance to do so. deleted in due course. “We strongly condemn this vandalism. Vandalism does not build bridges, it does not create goodwill, it is illegal.”
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