Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Gareth Bartlett

Iconic mural of Bristol hero Roy Hackett removed after part of building falls down

A mural of Bristol civil rights hero Roy Hackett has been taken down by emergency services.

Avon and Somerset Police were first on the scene in St Paul's this afternoon when rendering on the side of a building came loose.

They then called on firefighters from Temple to join them in Byron Street after part of it fell and was deemed unsafe.

Read more: Four in five teenagers in Bristol have witnessed racism

Four years in the making, The Seven Saints of St Pauls, features portraits of heroic Black Bristolians who fought for change.

They include Carmen Beckford, Audley Evans and Roy Hackett.

Roy was a leading organiser of the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott. His work and the campaign that followed, helped overturn the bar to the employment of Black and Asian bus drivers and conductors by the Bristol Omnibus company.

It is his mural which has had to be taken down tonight.

Emergency crews remain at the scene (Avon Fire and Rescue Service)

Last week he joined Bristol mayor Marvin Rees in a ceremony in the city which raised a Jamaican flag to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Jamaican Independence Day.

Read more: In pictures - the story of Bristol Bus Station

Creator Michele Curtis has in the past said that changing the whitewashed discourse of history is no less than a national necessity.

An Avon Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "Crews from Temple Fire Station are responding to a call from our Avon and Somerset Police colleagues after the rendering on the side of a building on Byron Street, St Paul’s came loose and fell from the side of the building."

You can follow our live blog for updates.

Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.