Winston Churchill’s picture has disappeared from Google’s list of British prime ministers as protesters call for his statue to be torn down.
The wartime leader is the only prime minister to be left without a photo.
Clement Attlee, Neville Chamberlain and Stanley Baldwin, who all served before Churchill, are still displayed with their images. Adolf Hitler’s picture is also still displaying on the search engine.
It comes amid an escalating row over whether Churchill should be commemorated in Parliament Square.
Black Lives Matter figurehead Imarn Ayton, 29, who has given speeches alongside Star Wars actor John Boyega, said yesterday the monument is offensive and should be moved to a museum.
And his granddaughter Emma Soames, after seeing the statue daubed with ‘was a racist’, said that if people were ‘so infuriated’ it may be ‘safer’ in a museum.
Google has claimed the image disappeared due to an update, and said it would be resolved ‘as rapidly as possible’. As of 11.30am, the image of Churchill seems to have returned to the list.
Yesterday, clashes between far-right yobs, Black Lives Matter supporters and riot police erupted in Trafalgar Square and at Waterloo station.
Police chiefs imposed a 5pm curfew on all demonstrations in a bid to quell the unrest seen throughout the day as the anti-racist rally and a far right counter-protest descended into hooliganism driven by a hard core of violent activists.
Boris Johnson spoke out against what he described as the ‘racist thuggery’ seen during demonstrations yesterday after facing criticism for his response to the unrest this week.
The Prime Minister, who urged protesters to avoid the demonstrations all together – wrote on Twitter: ‘Racist thuggery has no place on our streets. Anyone attacking the police will be met with full force of the law.
‘These marches and protests have been subverted by violence and breach current guidelines. Racism has no part in the UK and we must work together to make that a reality.’
Met Police confirmed that more than 100 people were arrested during yesterday’s protest for offences including breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on officers, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs, and drunk and disorder.
Winston Churchill’s picture has disappeared from Google’s list of UK prime ministers. All other former heads of state are still pictured
Google has claimed the image disappeared due to an update. As of 11.30am, the image of Churchill seems to have returned to the list
Churchill’s picture is also no longer displayed alongside the short description about him, that appears when his icon is clicked on. Other prime ministers images are still appearing
Churchill’s image still appears on Wikipedia, even though it has disappeared from Google
Adolf Hitler’s image is still displaying on the search engine. Churchill defeated him in the Second World War. Hitler had sent thousands of Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and others to concentration camps
The wartime leader’s statue in parliament square has been covered up to protect it from further damage during protests
His image is not showing up in the UK, US, Australia, South Africa, and other countries, according to social media users.
Its absence has been slammed as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘disgusting’ online, especially as its timing coincides with anti-racism protests in the UK.
A request to Google for information on why the image has been removed read: ‘The images on the search results are taken from Wikipedia, it’s not clear to me why this would break in only the UK and the US.
‘It’s especially interesting given the current controversy around Churchill in our countries. Even more interesting is that pictures of Hitler, Stalin and Mao are shown with no issues.’
A platinum product expert for Google responded saying the image appears to be a ‘default’, although it is unclear why Churchill’s is absent.
Google SearchLiaison said in a statement: ‘We’re aware an image for Sir Winston Churchill is missing from his Knowledge Graph entry on Google. We apologise for any concern. This was not purposeful and will be resolved.
‘Images in such panels are automatically created and updated. During an update, they can briefly disappear.
‘We don’t have an exact time for when Churchill’s Knowledge Graph image will be restored, but it will be as rapidly done as possible.’
Google has claimed that the image disappeared due to an update, and said they were working to bring it back ‘as rapidly as possible’
Black Lives Matter activist Imam Ayton, 29, has said Churchill’s statue in Westminster should be removed as it is ‘offensive’
Churchill’s statue in Westminster was daubed with ‘was a racist’ by protesters during an anti-racism march in the capital
More than 100 people were arrested at yesterday’s protests, the Met police have said. Offences included breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on officers, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs and drunk and disorder.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has condemned ‘racist thuggery’ after far-right hooligans attacked police and launched running battles with violent Black Lives Matter supporters.
Police chiefs maintained a heavy presence on the streets and imposed a 5pm curfew to avoid further clashes. Demonstrations in Liverpool, Brighton, and other cities, passed peaccefully.
Ms Ayton, 29, told BBC Radio 4 yesterday: ‘Yes I do. I believe these statues should be moved to a museum I think it’s a win win for everyone.
‘It no longer offends the black nation, but we get to keep our history and keep those that would like to see that.
Asked why Churchill’s statue was offensive, she said: ‘Any statue of people who has spoken negatively towards black people is going to be offensive. Any man.’
Activists have daubed the words ‘was a racist’ on the statue during angry anti-racism demonstrations last weekend.
His granddaughter Emma Soames told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that she felt ‘extraordinarily sad that my grandfather, who was such a unifying figure in this country, appears to have become a sort of icon through being controversial’.
She said if people were ‘so infuriated’ by seeing the statue, it may be ‘safer’ in a museum.
But Churchill’s grandson Nicholas Soames swiftly condemned any attempt to move it from the spot the former PM had chosen before he died in 1965.
‘I will have nothing of taking statues down and putting them in museums,’ he said.
Sir Nicholas told protesters to ‘read your history and grow up’, and said it was ‘rubbish’ and a ‘lunatic representation’ to call his grandfather racist. He told LBC: ‘All his life he fought fascism.’
The Mail on Sunday has launched a petition urging Boris Johnson to make a public pledge that the monument to Britain’s celebrated wartime leader will never be removed.
Churchill, who was Prime Minister twice, is considered a national hero and often leads polls on who was the greatest-ever Briton. His picture was chosen to appear on the new polymer £5 notes.
Churchill’s statue in parliament square, Westminster, has been covered up for its protection
The statue is pictured covered over on Friday ahead of further anti-racism protests in London
Other statues, including Nelson Mandela’s, have also been covered in order to protect them
The Cenotaph war memorial has also had covers placed around it to protect it from damage
However, critics say his legacy is tarnished by controversial remarks he made about different races and his role in the Bengal famine in 1943 after Allied forces halted food supplies, leading to an estimated 3 million deaths.
Mr Johnson, who wrote a biography of Churchill in 2014, acknowledged the former PM had expressed opinions which were ‘unacceptable to us today’, but he remained a hero for saving Britain from ‘fascist and racist tyranny’. However, Mr Johnson was coming under increasing pressure last night to promise that the statue was going nowhere, amid a chorus of support for our petition.
Google has been contacted for comment.
It comes as thousands of protesters took to the streets all over the UK yesterday, both in support of Black Lives Matter and a counter-protest to protect memorials like Churchill’s statue in Parliament Square.
Tens of thousands gathered at anti-racism protests in Liverpool and Brighton that passed off peacefully although clashes also erupted in Bristol and Newcastle.
However, the capital was the site of the most violent clashes as far-right groups hijacked peaceful protests led by veterans attempting to protect monuments.
Boris Johnson spoke out against what he described as the ‘racist thuggery’ seen during demonstrations after facing criticism for his response to the unrest this week
The anti-racist rally and a pro-statue counter-protest descended into hooliganism driven by a hard core of violent activists on both sides. Pictured: Clashes in Trafalgar Square yesterday
A man was beaten to a bloody pulp in Trafalgar Square as the Black Lives Matter protests turned violent shortly before the 5pm curfew kicked in
A man was seen involved in a confrontation between police and various demonstrators near to Waterloo Station this afternoon
The man – identified as a far-right protester- then got injured and had to be carried to safety as animosity was briefly set aside
A rowdy group of far-right protesters were seen yelling and shouting in Trafalgar Square as the anti-racist rally and a pro-statue counter-protests continued
Met Police confirmed that more than 100 people were arrested during yesterday’s protest for offences including breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on officers, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs, and drunk and disorder.
As the clocks struck 5pm, around 1,200 protesters in London ignored requests to go home, instead staying in Trafalgar Square – one of the flash points where a small number of troublemakers sparked violent clashes with police earlier on.
Elsewhere, between 350 and 400 Black Lives Matter protesters headed south of the River Thames to Waterloo station, chasing men they said were members of hate group EDL.
Smoke bombs were let off and bottles thrown as police struggled to protect the men on the steps of the train station.
It all started with a pro-statue rally at around 11.30am which featured veterans dressed in military uniform as well as far-right thugs such as Britain First leader Paul Golding.
Around that time, Black Lives Matter protesters gathered peacefully in Hyde Park.
Carnage started to erupt after midday as far right thugs peeled off from their rally in Parliament Square and began pelting cans and bottles at the police blockading the Cenotaph.
Police issued a Section 60 order around this time.
Large numbers of people in the group then moved to Trafalgar Square where they were separated by police lines from BLM demonstrators who started to gather. Skirmishes were seen both there and in Parliament Square.
Shortly before the 5pm curfew kicked in in Trafalgar Square, one man was attacked – believed to be a Tommy Robinson supporter – by angry crowds.
The injured man was swarmed before being punched and kicked to the floor leaving blood streaming from his nose.
Other protesters managed to drive a wedge in between the man and his attackers and stop the violence before police moved in.
He was later taken out of the square by officers, staggering unsteadily on his feet.
Around 6.30pm in Parliament Square, officers herded the final far-right protesters away from the statue of Churchill and began moving them across the green space and onto a road.
At around 7pm, police blocked off two pedestrian bridges between Embankment and Waterloo in London. Officers said they had been blocked off as Black Lives Matter protesters had been on them attempting to get north in the capital.
Timeline of the clashes yesterday
11:30 am: Several hundred people gather in central London, with the Cenotaph a focal point for demonstrators singing the national anthem. Britain First leader Paul Golding arrives.
Approx 11:30 am: Black Lives Matter (BLM) demonstrators gather in Hyde Park.
12:30 pm: Far-right activists block roads around Parliament Square.
12:45 pm: Whitehall becomes blocked off by the Met police who’ve imposed a Section 60 power.
12:45-2:40 pm: Far-right activists clash with and throw objects, including barriers, at police guarding Parliament Square including cans.
2:55 pm: Large numbers of far-right protesters move to Trafalgar Square and are separated by police lines from BLM demonstrators who are starting to gather.
3:15 pm: Police face far-right activists who’ve moved back to Parliament Square where some try to push through the barriers. Riot police and horses make their way back to the square.
3:20 pm: More violence against police on Bridge Street from far-right activists next to Big Ben.
3:30 pm: More BLM demonstrators make their way to Trafalgar Square.
4:00 pm: Police in full riot gear with shields clash with protesters in Whitehall.
4:10 pm: Crowd at Parliament Square start to disperse after an exit to Parliament Square opens.
4:10 pm: Police appear to stop more BLM demonstrators from entering Trafalgar Square and the demonstrators start to move towards Leicester Square shouting.
4:40 pm: BLM protestors move back to Trafalgar Square. Counter-demonstrators stand at the bottom of Nelson’s Column.
4:50 pm Police push far-right protesters back from BLM demonstrators
5:00 pm: Curfew kicks in.
Priti Patel condemned the ‘unacceptable thuggery’ and said the perpetrators would face the ‘full force of the law’.
The Home Secretary tweeted a video of the affray and wrote: ‘Throughly (sic) unacceptable thuggery. Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law.
‘Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated. Coronavirus remains a threat to us all. Go home to stop the spread of this virus and save lives.’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan wrote on Twitter: ‘Millions of Londoners will have been disgusted by the shameful scenes of violence, desecration and racism displayed by the right-wing extremists who gathered in our city today.
‘In the face of attacks and abuse, our police did a fantastic job to control the situation. Thank you.’
Police fight to maintain control in Trafalgar Square amid both Black Lives Matter and pro-statue protests in London yesterday
A man, whose face was covered in blood, was seen lying on the floor near Waterloo Station in London as the protests turned violent
A man was seen urinating next to a plaque honouring PC Keith Palmer who was stabbed to death during a terrorist attack in Westminster in 2017
BOLTON: A tense stand off between opposing sets of demonstrators at Black Lives Matter march in Bolton
NEWCASTLE: Counter-protesters stand in front of police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in Newcastle
LIVERPOOL: Demonstrators hold signs as they attend a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, in Liverpool
BRIGHTON: Protesters from Black Lives Matter take part in a silent vigil on Madeira Drive, Brighton
GLASGOW: Activists gather at the Cenotaph in George Square to protect it from any vandalism
BRISTOL: People taking part in a Black Lives Matter protest and counter pro-statue protest at the Bristol Cenotaph in Bristol
STAFFORDSHIRE: A group of men stand beside the boarded up statue of Sir Robert Peel before people take part in a Black Lives Matter protest in the grounds of Tamworth Castle
Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said today that he was ‘extremely disturbed’ by the ‘completely unacceptable’ scenes of violence on the streets of London on Saturday.
Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday show, Mr Thomas-Symonds said: ‘I want to say a particular word as well about that awful scene of someone urinating next to PC Keith Palmer’s memorial.
‘Absolutely despicable behaviour and I hope that individual is identified and brought to justice.’
A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Essex on suspicion of outraging public decency after a ‘far-right’ protester was photographed urinating next to the memorial dedicated to Pc Palmer, the officer who was stabbed to death in the 2017 terror attack in Westminster.
Mr Thomas-Symonds said he also would back the Government in creating a specific offence against damaging war memorials and said he would be willing to work cross-party to support such efforts in Parliament.
He said: ‘Well, firstly I would support the government in creating a specific offence of protecting war memorials and I would be willing to work with the government on that.
‘But let’s not be moved away either from what we’ve seen since the awful killing of George Floyd in America because the government needs to show leadership on the inequalities and racism that still sadly exist in our country and the Prime Minister needs to come forward and show that he understands the hurt and the anguish of the stories that black people in our country have spoken about so movingly in recent weeks and also to set out the concrete steps that his government now intends to take to address that.’
On the man arrested for urinating on Pc Palmer’s memorial, the Metropolitan Police said: ‘A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency after a man was photographed apparently urinating on the memorial dedicated to PC Keith Palmer.
‘The incident is believed to have taken place in the afternoon of Saturday, June 13. The man is currently in custody in Essex after presenting himself at a police station.’