Bust of Leopold II of Belgium, Ghent

A bust of Leopold II of Belgium has been on display in the Zuidpark in Ghent for many years.[1] As awareness of Leopold II's genocidal reign in Congo became widespread, public pressure grew to remove the statues of him in Belgium, and the bust was repeatedly defaced.[2] On June 30, 2020, during the George Floyd protests in Belgium, part of the global George Floyd protests, it was removed from its location, to be stored in a warehouse.[3] The date of its removal was also Congo's independence day.[1]

References

1. "Leopold II bust removed in Ghent on Congo's Independence Day". The Brussels Times. 2020-07-01. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
2. "Belgian king offers 'deepest regrets' for Congo atrocities". The Mercury News. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
3. "Belgium removes statue of king responsible for deaths of up to 10 million Congolese". www.abc.net.au. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-07-01.