A statue of Mahatma Gandhi in central London has been defaced with graffiti branding the Indian independence leader a 'terrorist'. The bronze statue in Tavistock Square, Bloomsbury, was spray-painted with the words 'Terrorists' and 'Gandhi, Modi and Hindustani [Indians]'.
The Indian High Commission condemned the act as 'shameful' and called for 'immediate action', stating: 'This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of non-violence, three days before the international day of nonviolence, and on the legacy of the Mahatma.' The mission said it was coordinating with authorities to restore the statue.
The Metropolitan Police said it responded to reports of the damage on Sunday and is treating the incident as 'racially aggravated'. No arrests have been made, according to the BBC. A cleaning team from Camden Council was seen power-hosing the statue on Monday.
The vandalism occurred just days before Gandhi's birthday on October 2, which is also India's Day of Non-Violence. This is not the first time a Gandhi statue has been targeted in the UK; a similar incident occurred in Leicester in 2014.
