- Protestors have attempted to topple a statue of former U.S. President Andrew Jackson, which is located next to the White House
- But, police intervened, and riot gear clad officers stopped the statue from being brought down, by using batons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd
- The statue has been labelled offensive, as Jackson used to own slaves and oversaw the displacement and deaths of thousands of Native Americans
- Meanwhile, the ongoing push to eradicate racism from modern society has seen Nestle announce it will change the name of two of its lollies
Washington DC police have thwarted attempts to topple a statue of the former U.S. President Andrew Jackson, as anti-racism protests continue across America.
On Monday night, hundreds of protestors attempted to overthrow a bronze statue of Andrew Jackson on a horse, located in Lafayette Square, a park next to the White House.
Officers on horses, or clad in riot gear, intervened, unleashing pepper spray and swinging batons at the crowd until protesters had dispersed.
Jackson, the country’s seventh president, was a slave owner and well known for his brutal treatment of Native Americans in the 1800s.
US President Donald Trump has condemned the actions of protestors.
Numerous people arrested in D.C. for the disgraceful vandalism, in Lafayette Park, of the magnificent Statue of Andrew Jackson, in addition to the exterior defacing of St. John’s Church across the street. 10 years in prison under the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act. Beware!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 23, 2020
The condemnation is unlikely to quell future action though, as the Black Lives Matter protests transform from avenging George Floyd’s alleged murder by Minneapolis police to eradicating America of its racist past.
The movement has spread across the globe, with Nestle recently announcing it will change the name of its Red Skin and Chico lollies.
The Australian arm of the corporation said in a statement the decision was made in a bid to stop marginalisation.