Tyson Fury demands Boris Johnson ‘grow a pair’ and defend Winston Churchill statue

‘RIP #worldsgreatestleader’, WBC heavyweight champion wrote on social media 

Alex Pattle
Saturday 13 June 2020 11:13 BST
Comments
Scaffolding put up around Cenotaph and Churchill statue amid BLM protests

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Tyson Fury has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to defend a statue of Winston Churchill amid Black Lives Matter marches in London.

A statue of Churchill, who was prime minister in Britain between 1940 and 1945 and then again from 1951 to 1955, stands in Parliament Square, and scaffolding was filmed being put up around the monument on Thursday evening.

The move came amid fears of clashes on Saturday between right-wing groups, who vowed to “defend” selected memorials, and Black Lives Matter demonstrators.

The wartime prime minister’s figure was targeted with graffiti during a march last weekend, while a demonstrator tried to set a union flag on the Cenotaph alight. Police fear that demonstrators will attempt to vandalise or remove controversial memorials following last week’s toppling of the statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol.

And WBC heavyweight champion Fury has waded into the debate, writing on Twitter: “RIP #worldsgreatestleader.

“@BorisJohnson grow a pair. Do not let anyone desecrate our great leader’s monument. #ILOVEYOUENGLAND.”

The boxer also attached a photo of an Instagram post he has shared that carried a similar sentiment.

“This is the great man Sir Winston Churchill, a man who saved millions of lives in the UK and around the world,” the 31-year-old wrote.

“He made it possible to live in the world we know today, don’t forget if [Adolf] Hitler would [have] won the war there would be no Black, Gyspy, Jew in Europe as he would [have] killed them all.

“We owe our lives to this legend of a leader, Sir Winston Churchill I salute you as a patriot of England & the world heavyweight boxing champion & the Gyspy King.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in