Others believe that the statues should be removed because Leopold II was representative of the country’s violent colonial past. A statue of former Belgian king Leopold II has been removed in the city of Ghent as Belgium marked the 60th anniversary of the end of its colonial rule in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, this garden or park is open to the general public. BRUSSELS — A 150-year-old statue of King Leopold II of Belgium, whose forces seized Congo in the late 19th century and ran an exploitative regime …   A statue of King Leopold II in the Belgian town of Antwerp was removed on Tuesday with its long-term future set for a museum, just days after being daubed with paint by anti-racism protesters. In recent years, a consensus of around 10 million deaths has been reached among historians. // googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); A statue of former Belgian King Leopold II was removed by officials in the city of Antwerp on Tuesday after Black Lives Matter protesters set it on fire.. The Reading / Listening - King Leopold II Statue - Level 2. // }); Panels giving information about Leopold II have also been attached to most of his statues in recent years. On Wednesday, an internet petition to rid the capital, Brussels, of any Leopold statue swept past 70,000 signatures. On Monday, a petition was launched to remove all statues in his honour from the City of Brussels. A statue of Leopold II riding a horse has been defaced in Brussels and a debate has ensued over whether it should be removed or modified by adding billboards to explain the Congo genocide in explicit detail. // addSize([980, 200], [[970,90], [970,250], 'fluid']). Also this week, regional … He ruled the Congo Free State in Africa for 23 years. Yet statues glorifying Leopold II are all over our country.   Room clean.bed comfy.shower lacked power or heat. On Monday, a petition was launched to remove all statues in his honour from the City of Brussels. // var adslot0; 2:41 TOPLINE. // googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); [10] He used great sums of the money from this exploitation for public and private construction projects in Belgium during this period. // googletag.enableServices(); // var adslot0; Perhaps, in Casement’s honoured memory, our MEP’s should be the first to raise their voices in support of Tracy Bibo-Tansia in demanding the removal of such statues, or call for the removal of the parliament from Brussels. The statue has been defaced several times before, but this time, the bust was gagged as well. A statue of Belgian king Leopold II has been removed by local authorities in Antwerp – in a move which a city guide says councils across the world must learn from. Motels near Statue de Leopold II, Mons on Tripadvisor: Find 912 traveler reviews, 4,037 candid photos, and prices for motels near Statue de Leopold II in Mons, Belgium. Under Leopold II’s colonial regime, millions of Congolese people died. [6] // adslot0 = googletag.defineSlot('/312997750/ATF', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-ATF'). Photo by … // addSize([0, 0], [[300,250], 'fluid']). [2][3][4][5] In 2004 an activist group, De Stoete Ostendenoare, symbolically cut off a bronze hand from one of the kneeling Congolese slaves who, as part of the 'Gratitude of the Congolese' group in the monument, honours Leopold II. Also this week, regional … They were the very first royal family of Belgium, because the country was just 5 years old. pic.twitter.com/MZLlX7eeFZ, — Facts About Africa (@OnlyAfricaFacts) June 3, 2020. [10], From the beginning, Leopold ignored these conditions and millions of Congolese inhabitants, including children, were mutilated and killed. A bust of Leopold II in the University of Mons (UMons) will be moved to storage amid mounting cries to take down monuments of Belgium’s colonial king. image caption A statue of King Leopold II in Antwerp was set on fire and painted red People in Belgium are calling for statues of the country's longest-reigning king, Leopold II, to be dismantled. Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images Related // adsmobileslot = googletag.defineSlot('/312997750/NEW_SITE_MOBILE_TOP_ALL', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1559116370415-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); The Walloon university took down the statue from its place in the Faculty of Management and Economics on Monday, a day after a massive Black Lives Matter demonstration took place in Brussels. // var adsmobileslot; }, 1000); On Tuesday, a bust of former Belgian King Leopold II was defaced in the Flemish city of Ghent, with red paint symbolising blood and a message referring to the death of George Floyd in the United States.Â. The statues of Leopold II throughout Belgium have been the subject of scrutiny several times before, with many opponents wanting them all removed. [9][1] On the right, a pendant, depicting "Tribute of the Ostend fishing population". // }); [10] Under his regime millions of Congolese people died. English: Statue of Leopold II (1931) by Alfred Courtens (1889-1967) and Antoine Courtens (1899-1969). Leopold II was born in 1835 to King Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orleans. She was also related to Marie Antoinette, as well as Kings of Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Poland. The statue, set … Protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd have plunged the US into chaos and spread over to countries across the world, … Statue in Ostend. // addService(googletag.pubads()); [10] He used explorer Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, an area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. // addSize([1100, 200], [[1024,250], 'fluid']). Leopold eventually ceded the territory to Belgium in 1908 but it was another 52 years before Congo regained its independence. document.body.className = document.body.className.replace(/\bmobile-loading\b/g, ""); It is not clear if the bust was defaced as a part of the protest. Share. The bust of King Leopold II of Belgium, who orchestrated the colonial genocide of 10 million Congolese people, has been defaced by protesters in Ghent, Belgium. // googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); 56978: Object location: 51° 13′ 37.74″ N, 2… [7][1] The City Council may have hoped to regain the dynasty as summer residents but after Leopold II's death, Ostend's status as a royal summer residence quickly crumbled. // googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ When I visited, someone had poured white pain over his head. - The statue was vandalized during a protest action amid discussions to remove all Leopold 2 statues due to the misdeeds in his personal property Congo. Since then, the bust has been left alone for the most part. Share. The statues of Leopold II throughout Belgium have been the subject of scrutiny several times before, with many opponents wanting them all removed. Statues of the former Belgian king had already been vandalised or removed in the cities of Halle, Mons, Ostend, … “The statue is in fact part of our historical heritage. [2][3][4][5], While Leopold was alive, Thomas Vinçotte produced a portrait bust which is now in the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken. 2. Would i stop again. The price is £59 per night from 29 Nov to 30 Nov £59. In the wake of questions surrounding statues honouring Confederate generals in the US, many in Belgium are suggesting that similar monuments to colonising king Leopold II be taken down. Share. - The statue was vandalized during a protest action amid discussions to remove all Leopold 2 statues due to the misdeeds in his personal property Congo. „Es ist bereits das zweite Mal in dieser Woche, dass Vandalen die umstrittene Statue des Monarchen ins Visier genommen haben. In recent years, a consensus of around 10 million deaths has been reached among historians. Save. The monument is a equestrian statue and features the king sitting peacefully on his horse at rest. // document.body.className = document.body.className + ' mobile-loading'; Unterdessen ist in Ekeren eine Statue von König Leopold II, die überdies in 2023 sowieso verschwinden sollte, in der Nacht zu Donnerstag in Brand gesteckt worden. 3,539 Followers, 566 Following, 2 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Statues Leopold II BXL (@statues_leopold2_bxl) A statue of King Leopold II in the Belgian town of Antwerp was removed on Tuesday with its long-term future set for a museum, just days after being daubed with paint by anti-racism protesters. Who was Leopold II … Léopold II Statue. // googletag.cmd.push(function(){ [1] King Leopold II of Belgium was commemorated here as a benefactor of Ostend and the Belgian Congo. [9] On top in bronze, Leopold II sits in military uniform on horseback looking over the North Sea. 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The statue of King Leopold II in the Belgian city of Ostend is located on the Royal Galleries by the beach. It hasn't been moved since. Leopold statues have been defaced. [10] He donated the private buildings to the state before his death. per night. 2 Helpful votes. [7][8] The middle of the three passages was made on the sea side. 3,539 Followers, 566 Following, 2 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Statues Leopold II BXL (@statues_leopold2_bxl) Ce débat revient régulièrement à la "une" de l'actualité : doit-on enlever ou laisser les statues de Léopold II (et toutes les autres traces de notre passé colonial) dans l'espace public ? The statue was made in Belgium by Thomas Vincotte, in 1928. A petition to remove such statues is ongoing until 30 June 2020, the 60th anniversary of Congo's independence from Belgium. The culture minister said the statue had been put up as "a trial to see if the concrete could support the weight". A statue of former Belgian King Leopold II was removed by officials in the city of Antwerp on Tuesday after Black Lives Matter protesters set it on fire.. On Wednesday, an internet petition to rid the capital, Brussels, of any Leopold statue swept past 70,000 signatures. // googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); Anti-racism protestors in Antwerp, Belgium covered a statue of former King Leopold II in paint. KING LEOPOLD II is the latest historical figure to have a statue of his likeness removed from the public, with Black Lives Matter protests raging on around the world. Moeten standbeelden van Leopold II en andere bedenkelijke historische figuren verdwijnen uit het straatbeeld? Officially, the manifestation was not allowed to continue, but because everyone wore face masks, kept their distance and stayed calm, the authorities did not intervene. The Belgian city of Antwerp on Tuesday (June 9) confirmed removing a statue of colonial-era leader, King Leopold II. Lack of reliable sources have made it difficult to form an accurate estimation, but modern estimates range from 1 million to 15 million. // addService(googletag.pubads()); ‘I can’t breathe’: Leopold II statue defaced in Ghent. You have to take care of that,” he said. 56978: Object location: 51° 13′ 37.74″ N, 2° 54′ 16.78″ E View all coordinates using: OpenStreetMap - Google Earth - Proximityrama: monument of Leopold II in Ostend sculpture by Alfred Courtens. Une statue du roi Léopold II, figure du passé colonial belge, a été déboulonnée le 9 juin par la ville d’Anvers. // }); The inauguration was on 19 July 1931. The face of the bust was covered with a canvas with the message “I can’t breathe,” the last words of George Floyd, the black man who died after a white police officer put his knee on his neck for minutes in the United States last week, resulting in protests against police violence across the world. , millions of Congolese people died. [1], The statue was vandalised in 2020 as part of the global Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd. A Belgian prince has defended King Leopold II who ruled Congo as a private slave state after anti-racism protesters defaced his statues. The city then pulled the statue down. On Monday, a protest against racism took place in Ghent, with about 500 attendees who gathered on the Sint-Pietersplein in the city, while respecting the social distancing measures, reports Het Nieuwsblad. KING LEOPOLD II is the latest historical figure to have a statue of his likeness removed from the public, with Black Lives Matter protests raging on around the world. They were a newly independent country that had yet to form a unique national identity.Leopold II had two younger siblings called Phillipe and Charlotte. // googletag.enableServices(); After the First World War, the city government started work on plans for a statue. Copyright © 2019 The Brussels Times. Share on Twitter Share on Facebook. Today, this garden or park is open to the general public. The statue is in the middle, on the left-hand side of the National Museum of the Congo. But he was a big figure in political history and this is his statue. [9] The monument has an important architectural part that roughly consists of a voluminous upright column, with two horizontal bases on the left and right. For thousands of years, that territory had been conquered by nearby Netherlands, France, Germany, and Luxembourg. The statue has been defaced several times before, but this time, the bust was gagged as well. //Верхний баннер Jeroen Robbe, of the anti-racism group the … In 2004 one of the hands of a Congolese was cut off, to surface in 2019 with the promise to return the hand as soon as the Belgian Royal Family should excuse for their behaviour during the colonial past. You shouldn't leave Kinshasa without seeing it with your own eyes. The French Princess. This is a category about onroerend erfgoed number. ... “Leopold II was a mass murderer and … "Leopold II certainly does not deserve a statue in the public domain," agrees Bambi Ceuppens, scientific commissioner at the Africa Museum. A statue of Belgium’s King Leopold II, who became ultra wealthy from the enslavement of Congolese people in the late 19th and early … // googletag.enableServices(); Noah, a slight teenager wearing jeans and sneakers, is dwarfed by the bronze statue of Belgium's King Leopold II astride a horse. macedonboy wrote a review Sep 2019. Red paint was also thrown over the rest of the sculpture, as well as the pedestal, reports, The face of the bust was covered with a canvas with the message “, On Monday, a protest against racism took place in Ghent, with about 500 attendees who gathered on the Sint-Pietersplein in the city, while respecting the social distancing measures, reports. Mobutu removed the statue and placed it in his private garden, on Mount Ngaliema. // defineSizeMapping(TopMapping). More than a century later, Belgium still minimizes or completely ignores the actions of Leopold II, whose family still sits on the royal throne. It hasn't been moved since. The movement against racism and injustice is truly global! Copy link Statue in Ostend. // googletag.cmd.push(function(){ [9] This gives a form of a kind of double L monogram (two L's turned away from each other), the monogram that Leopold II often used. In July 2019, the city placed a sign in the park with the words “The city council regrets the many Congolese victims who died during the Free State” after activists wanted the bust removed, along with all other references, such as street names, to Leopold II and his colonial rule. Mobutu removed the statue and placed it in his private garden, on Mount Ngaliema. Anti-racism protestors in Antwerp, Belgium covered a statue of former King Leopold II in paint. // renderMarginPercent: 200, All Rights Reserved. It is by far the most significant statue of the city. Their family life was dysfunctional, to say the least. // addSize([730, 200], [[728, 90], 'fluid']). // var TopMapping = googletag.sizeMapping(). Glasgow, United Kingdom 146,739 contributions 100,234 helpful votes +1. // build(); A Belgian prince has defended King Leopold II who ruled Congo as a private slave state after anti-racism protesters defaced his statues. A long-running campaign to have statues of Leopold II removed, and his name removed from street signs, squares and public transport stops, has been renewed, with more than 60,000 people signing an online petition. The city then pulled the statue down. Panels giving information about Leopold II have also been attached to most of his statues in recent years. Le débat sur Léopold II s’était invité suite au retrait d’un buste par l’UMons. [6] Sculptor Alfred Courtens (1889-1967), was commissioned, together with his brother, the architect, Antoine Courtens (1899-1969). // Read more: Statue protests reignite focus on Britain's slave trading past. The statue of King Leopold II in the Belgian city of Ostend is located on the Royal Galleries by the beach. That’s some serious pedigree! And not just Leopold himself. // }); // Not sure why you would bother. Helpful. [7], The monument is known locally as "De Drie Gapers". J'ai lu les arguments de chacun, et je regrette que de part et d'autre, on manque de recul et de nuances. Breakfast limited choice.but as good as any ive stayed in ostend. [9] At the bottom left a larger than life sculptural group, also in bronze, depicting "Thanks of the Congolese to Leopold II for freeing them from slavery among the Arabs". Given the reputation of Leopold II, the statue is quite controversial. Red paint was also thrown over the rest of the sculpture, as well as the pedestal, reports Het Laatste Nieuws. On June 9, a statue of Leopold II in Antwerp was removed. The ongoing protests may lead to other statues of the king being removed from public spaces and cities across the country. // mobileScaling: 2.0, Leopold II (Dutch: Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor; French: Léopold Louis Philippe Marie Victor; German: Leopold Ludwig Philipp Maria Viktor; 9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909) was the second King of the Belgians from 1865 to 1909 and, through his own efforts, the owner and absolute ruler of the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908. Léopold II Statue. The removal of King Leopold II's statue took place only hours after Philippe's letter was published. Photo: The statue of Leopold II at Troon in Brussels ©EmDee/Wikimedia. Monument to a Cruel King. // fetchMarginPercent: 500, Free cancellation. Hundreds of protestors cheered as workers took the statue off its stand. ", "Dit zijn de organisatoren van de Belgische Black Lives Matter-betogingen", "Hoe Oostendse activisten met een afgehakte hand de puntjes op de i zetten", "Campaign launched by a teenager to remove statues of Congo coloniser Leopold II gains pace in Belgium", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=King_Leopold_II_statue_(Ostend)&oldid=989259487, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 November 2020, at 23:33. setTimeout(function() { [12], List of monuments and memorials removed during the George Floyd protests, "Belgians Target Some Royal Monuments In Black Lives Matter Protest", "Al meer dan 16.000 handtekeningen voor petitie om standbeelden Leopold II uit Brussel weg te nemen, Tommelein wil beeld in Oostende niet verwijderen", "Het Debat. Read more. Separately, a statue of King Baudouin - Belgium's second-longest reigning monarch after Leopold II - was found smeared bright red in a park in front … /AP. From 1928 to 1966, it remained in the city centre (the city was at that time called "Leopoldville"). 29 Nov - 30 Nov. 3.7/5 Good! The Leopold statue in Ghent was vandalised several times in the past and again after Mr Floyd, a handcuffed Black man, died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. // adslot0 = googletag.defineSlot('/312997750/Super_Billboard_1', [[970, 250], [1230, 250]], 'div-gpt-ad-1555597002018-0').setTargeting("test","infinitescroll"). Share on Twitter Share on Facebook. [10] At the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, the colonial nations of Europe authorised his claim by committing the Congo Free State to improve the lives of the native inhabitants. You won't find any statues of Hitler on the streets of Berlin, and apart from a small bust on Red Square Stalin's face has disappeared from the streets of Moscow. King Leopold I’s first wife, and the mother of Leopold II, was Louise-Marie of Orleans, the second-born child of King Louis-Philippe of France. A statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston was toppled and thrown into a river in Bristol, England, amid worldwide anti-racism demonstrations. The Reading / Listening - King Leopold II Statue - Level 2. Post this . [1] The activists were willing to give the hand back if a historically correct sign would be placed near the statue. // googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); Date of experience: October 2019. The statues of Leopold II throughout Belgium have been the subject of scrutiny several times before, with many opponents wanting them all removed. Tweetable; Facebook; Calls for removal of statues of Leopold II. The king ruled from 1865 to 1909. [10], Leopold extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and after a rise in the price of rubber in the 1890s, by forced labour from the natives to harvest and process rubber. A statue of King Leopold II in Antwerp, Belgium, that was vandalized during recent anti-racism protests was removed by city officials on June 9 and taken away to be “restored,” reports said. Who was Leopold II … As Irish people, we are rightfully very proud of the exposure of Leopold’s cruelty and genocide by Roger Casement. // googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); [1] This was a reference to how Congolese slaves' hands were cut off if they did not produce enough rubber during Leopold's colonial regime. He ruled the Congo Free State in Africa for 23 years. (292 reviews) Ideal for a cheap one night stop over "Tired hotel that needs a refurb. English: Statue of Leopold II (1931) by Alfred Courtens (1889-1967) and Antoine Courtens (1899-1969). A statue of Belgian king Leopold II has been removed by local authorities in Antwerp – in a move which a city guide says councils across the world must learn from. [6][7] On 22 September 1981 the statue was declared a protected monument. // googletag.cmd.push(function() { [1], Leopold was the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State; a private project was undertaken on his behalf. People participate in celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of … A statue of Belgium’s King Leopold II, who became ultra wealthy from the enslavement of Congolese people in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was removed by the city of … Confusion surrounds the brief return of a statue of Belgian colonial king Leopold II in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital, Kinshasa. [11], On 9 June 2020, Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein said that the city council "takes the fight against racism very seriously" but "replacing or removing statues will not happen". We even have a statue from 1895 called 'Voortvluchtige negerslaven door honden verrast'. A statue of King Leopold II in Antwerp, Belgium, that was vandalized during recent anti-racism protests was removed by city officials on June 9 and taken away to be “restored,” reports said. It was taken down just hours after being re-erected on Thursday. King Leopold II of Belgium was commemorated here as a benefactor of Ostend and the Belgian Congo. Lack of reliable sources have made it difficult to form an accurate estimation, but modern estimates range from 1 million to 15 million. [10], The Equestrian statue of King Leopold II has been vandalised in 2004 and 2020. The move comes days after it was defaced by anti-racism protesters. TOPLINE. The king ruled from 1865 to 1909. Share. A larger-than-life bronze statue of King Leopold II on a horse in central Brussels has become the flashpoint for protests in Belgium about the country’s ugly colonial past.