Oriel College's plan to keep the sculpture of "racist" 19th-century British mining magnate "does not reflect the Oxford we represent", say staff in a letter
Oxford College Criticised for Refusal to Remove Cecil Rhodes Statue
Aamna Mohid, The Guardian, May 20, 2021
Campaigners and politicians have condemned the University of Oxford for backtracking on its previous decision to remove a statue of the British imperialist Cecil Rhodes and ignore the views of an independent commission.
Oriel College, Oxford said on Thursday it would not “begin the legal process” of moving the statue at this stage owing to “regulatory and financial challenges” presented by its removal, despite a vote by the independent commission supporting its removal.
Anti-racism campaigners said it was a cynical betrayal and exposed the “insincerity” of the college’s stated commitment to change. The campaign group Rhodes Must Fall demanded “full transparency” on any communications from politicians and government officials from the college and whether the withdrawal of funding from alumni played a role in the latest decision.
Oriel College has been under pressure for several years from the "RhodesMustFall" campaign which argues the statue on its facade glorifies racism. The movement stepped up again during last summer's global wave of anti-racism protests.