Nigel Farage has been accused of inciting racism after he sensationally claimed the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement to be a ‘far-left Marxist organisation whose chief aim is to close down police forces’ in a blazing television row this morning over the toppling of a slave trader statue in Bristol.
The Brexit Party leader also accused the group of ‘unpicking history’ and compared the anti-racism group to terrorist organisation The Taliban.
The accusations were made in a fiery row on Good Morning Britain today, in which he was debating the removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol during anti-racism protests over the weekend.
Mr Farage’s comments were described as ‘nonsense’ by one of those debating him on the ITV show, while another accused him of ‘inciting evil racism’.
The Colston statue, which had been in place since 1895, has been a subject of controversy in recent years – due to his history as a 17th century slave trader – with the most recent petition to remove it attracting more than 11,000 signatures.
Mr Farage took on lawyer and women’s rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu and historian Professor Kate Williams in debating the removal of the statue, with the show’s usual hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid chairing the argument.
Asked if he thought the toppling of the statue was a good thing, Mr Farage said: ‘No, no because I thought it was mob rule.’
Nigel Farage (pictured bottom left) took on lawyer and woman’s rights activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (top right) and historian Professor Kate Williams (bottom right) in debating the removal of the statue, with the show’s usual hosts Piers Morgan (top left) and Susanna Reid chairing the argument, .
Nigel Farage claimed the Black Lives Matter movement was a ‘far-left Marxist organisation whose chief aim is to close down police forces’ in a blazing television row over the toppling of a slave trader statue in Bristol
The Colston statue, which had been in place since 1895, has been a subject of controversy in recent years – due to Colston’s links to the slave trade in the 17th century
It was toppled and thrown into the Bristol Harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest over the weekend
‘If you want to discuss violent scenes of mob rule desecration of public monuments… the desecration of Churchill statue on the 76 anniversary of D-Day and mob hysteria in Bristol, I’m very happy to talk to you about it.’
Mr Morgan responded: ‘I agree about Churchill, I agree about the cenotaph… I want to see where your head is about the principle of removing statues.’
‘Should statues of Adolf Hitler have been allowed to stay up in Germany?’
Mr Farage responded: ‘Do you know why they’re not there… the German parliament was voted in on a democratic mandate [to remove Nazi statues].
‘Yes, I believe in democracy not violent anarchic mob rule.’
Asked why he thought the toppling of Colston was wrong, he said: ‘Because they did it as a violent mob making their own decisions and what they thought was right and wrong.
‘The point here is you start to unpick history you do not quite know where you are going to finish up.’
But it sparked Dr Mos-Shogbamimu to take a swipe at Mr Farage.
She said: ‘Nigel Farage embodies that is wrong with this country he exemplifies how some white people will whitewash the oppression of black people as their own so they can accuse BLM of an anti-white agenda.
‘There is no justification for statues that immortalise slavery immortalise imperialism.’
But Mr Farage then hit back, accusing the Black Lives Matter group behind the weekend’s protests of attempting to close down police forces.
He said: ‘Do you know the BBC have consistently over the last week refused to tell people the truth about Black Lives Matter, the slogan… is a laudable aim.
‘The organisation BLM is a far-left Marxist organisation whose chief aim is to de-fund and close down police forces.’
The group were also defended by Professor Williams (left), who said: ‘Now you are encouraging people to compare BLM to the Taliban when they are asking for justice and equality in this country.’
Dr Mos-Shogbamimu hit back, saying: ‘You are full of such nonsense Nigel Farage.
‘The the only thing you’re an expert on right now is your backside… BLM represents a fight against racism in this country.’
The group were also defended by Professor Williams, who said: ‘Now you are encouraging people to compare BLM to the Taliban when they are asking for justice and equality in this country.
‘People say to me where is this going to stop it’s madness… they put the statue in the sea where he would’ve thrown the people he trafficked.
‘In this country we do not confront our history of slavery and the British slave trade.
She added: ‘You are inciting evil racism.’
But Mr Farage refused to back down, adding: ‘The Taliban love to blow up and destroy historical monuments from a different time that they do not approve of.
‘What we saw at the weekend was the most appalling example of mob rule.’
Mr Farage had previously tweeted: ‘A new form of the Taliban was born in the UK today. Unless we get moral leadership quickly our cities won’t be worth living in.’
Black Lives Matter protesters tore down a statue of 17th century slave trader and dumped it in the harbour on Saturday – as demonstrations continue to sweep Britain following the death of George Floyd in America.
Footage showed protesters heaving the metal monument down with ropes before cheering and dancing around it, with many placing their knees on the fallen statue as it lay on the ground.
The statue, which had been in place since 1895, has been a subject of controversy in recent years. The most recent petition to remove it garnered more than 11,000 signatures.
Black Lives Matter protesters tore down a statue of 17th century slave trader and dumped it in the harbour on Saturday – as demonstrations continue to sweep Britain following the death of George Floyd in America
The statue, which had been in place since 1895, has been a subject of controversy in recent years. The most recent petition to remove it garnered more than 11,000 signatures. Pictured: People look at the pedestal of the toppled statue in Bristol
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid has condemned protesters’ decision to force it down, declaring on Twitter: ‘This is not OK’. Home Secretary Priti Patel branded the act as ‘utterly disgraceful’.
Along with the tobacco trade, Colston’s wealth helped to develop Bristol in the 17th century.
He used a lot of his riches, accrued from his extensive slave trading, to build schools and almshouses in his home city.
An estimated 10,000 protesters had gathered in Bristol on Sunday to march through the city.
Avon and Somerset police have said that although the protests are a breach in lockdown regulations, they understand why people want to gather.