A statue of nursing pioneer Mary Seacole has been vandalised in what is thought to be a racially motivated attack.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has called out the ‘abhorrent display of racism-fuelled vandalism’ and has pledged to support the restoration of the statue.
The statue of the Jamaican-born nurse, who faced racism and injustice when nursing soldiers during the Crimean War, has been located at St Thomas’ Hospital since 2016.
The Mary Seacole Trust charity – dedicated to educating the public on the life, work and achievements of its namesake – said the attack happened on Monday evening and that it believed it was racially motivated.
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Chair of the Mary Seacole Trust Trevor Sterling said: ‘This is an example of the paucity of education amongst those who are racially motivated and the plethora of ignorance.
‘We need to improve the dialogue and understanding about what being British is and what being British means, as well as understanding the contribution of those from diverse backgrounds through time, which is what has made Britain, Britain.’
Mr Sterling, who is also a senior partner at law firm Moore Barlow, added: ‘Mary Seacole is a symbol of the NHS, diversity, and social justice, and her contributions were of real value this country.
‘I hope that this will highlight the need to enhance education on the subject of what being British means and who the British really are.’
Police are involved and undertaking an investigation, the charity said, adding that the stature will be cleaned and restored to its original design.
Responding to the incident, RCN general secretary and chief executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: ‘This abhorrent display of racism-fuelled vandalism has no place in our society.
‘Mary Seacole is a nursing icon whose dedication to the care of others continues to inspire our profession today.’
She added: ‘This act of sabotage is unacceptable, and the nursing community will not stand for it. As the first statue of a named black woman in the UK, it symbolises not only Mary’s immense contribution to nursing but also the contribution of people from minoritised ethnic communities.’
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Professor Ranger stressed the RCN ‘will support the restoration’ of the statue and that it was ‘firmly committed to championing the principles the statute embodies, both in nursing and wider society’.
Professor Ian Abbs, chief executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ described the vandalisation as a ‘disgraceful act of criminal damage’, and said the statue will be ‘cleaned and restored as quickly as possible’.
‘Since its unveiling in 2016, the statue has been at the heart of many celebrations and important moments of reflection and remembrance for us at Guy’s and St Thomas,’ he said.
‘Mary Seacole’s high profile position, overlooking the Houses of Parliament, is a constant reminder of the contribution of our Black colleagues, past and present, both to the NHS and wider society.’
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The vandalisation follows a series of riots which have seen minority ethnic and internationally educated nurses and other healthcare professionals targeted in racially-motivated attacks.
Yesterday, the Federation of Minority Ethnic Healthcare Organisations (FEMHO) submitted a letter to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, demanding a meeting with government and the recall of parliament amid a ‘national crisis’ of racism and Islamophobia.
