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‘My anger’ by Abbey protester
Slavery service protest
A PROTESTER who interrupted a commemorative service at Westminster Abbey marking the bicentenary of the act to abolish the slave trade told the West End Extra he was driven to act because of the “falsehoods” surrounding the current celebrations.
The event, attended by the Queen and Tony Blair, was almost over when human rights campaigner Toyin Agbetu shouted: “This is an insult to us.”
He condemned African Christians for taking part and told them to walk out.
Mr Agbetu, 39, founder of Ligali, a non-profit organisation that challenges negative stereotypes of black people, said the current “celebrations” of the abolition of slavery wrongly reasserted “the historic falsehood that African people were passive in their emancipation”.
Outside the Abbey he told the West End Extra: “The monarch and the Government and the church are all in there patting themselves on the back. There was no mention of the African freedom-fighters. This is just a memorial for (19th century Tory abolitionist) William Wilberforce.” Mr Agbetu called for the Queen and the Tony Blair to apologise for the slave trade.
The service resumed after security guards led Mr Agbetu outside and he was arrested.
“He came through security checks, the scanners. I’m convinced we did everything correctly,” said Maj-Gen David Burden, the Abbey’s receiver-general.
He added: “It was not the place to manhandle someone.” Lady Davson, the great-great-great-grand-daughter of William Wilberforce, who led the abolition movement, read a House of Commons speech and later the Queen laid flowers in honour of all those affected by slavery.
The Prime Minister did not speak at the service. His deputy, John Prescott, unveiled a restored memorial fountain to anti-slavery campaigner Thomas Fowell Buxton at Victoria Tower Gardens in London.
Chancellor Gordon Brown, London Mayor Ken Livingstone, who has issued an apology on behalf of London, Home Secretary John Reid and Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell also attended the event. |
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