Man in Spiderman mask damages controversial statue on BBC building Man in Spiderman mask damages controversial statue on BBC building

A man attacked a statue of a controversial sculptor at the BBC’s London headquarters with a hammer and chisel. The man, disguised in a Spiderman mask, climbed onto scaffolding set up for repairs to the previously attacked statue on Saturday morning and hoisted a banner sharply criticizing public broadcasters and the police. Police initially did not intervene out of concern for the safety of the attacker and their officers.

The British sculptor Eric Gill (1882-1940) described the sexual abuse of his daughters in his diaries, which were published long after his death. That is why there have recently been repeated calls for the stated statue of the characters Prospero and Ariel to be removed from William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”. The meter-high sculpture has stood above the entrance to the BBC Broadcasting House since its opening in 1932. Gill was considered one of the most famous sculptors of the 20th century.

Last year, a man attacked the plant with a hammer. A few days ago, the BBC announced that the statue is in need of renovation due to its historical and cultural importance to the building – despite the allegations against Gil. It was planned that in the course of the work, which should be completed by June 19, information about the work and the artist would be added, for example with a QR code nearby.

(yam/sda/dpa)