Lewis Hamilton has challenged government leaders worldwide to "remove racist symbols" after demonstrators brought down a statue of a 17th-century slave trader in Bristol on Sunday.
Mass protests have occurred across the world in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign following the death of George Floyd last month, with an 18ft bronze statue of Edward Colston pulled down during one of many demonstrations across the UK over the weekend.
Hamilton has been vocal throughout the demonstrations, last week stating he was "completely overcome with rage" and urged people not to sit in silence.
The six-time Formula One world champion has again voiced his support for the demonstrations, challenging governments to make a change.
"All statues of racist men who made money from selling a human being should be torn down!" Hamilton wrote on Instagram after the statue was toppled. "Which one is next?"
"I challenge government officials worldwide to make these changes and implement the peaceful removal of these racist symbols."
“If those people hadn’t taken down that statue, honouring a racist slave trader, it would never have been removed,” Hamilton added on Monday.
“There’s talks of it going into a museum. That man’s statue should stay in the river just like the 20 thousand African souls who died on the journey here and thrown into the sea, with no burial or memorial.
“He stole them from their families, country and he must not be celebrated! It should be replaced with a memorial for all those he sold, all those that lost their lives!”
Hamilton also stated he's been "appalled" by the way the government have handled the coronavirus pandemic.
Particularly, the 35-year-old questioned the latest quarantine rules that came into effect on Monday, which state visitors entering the UK must isolate for 14 days.
“I’m appalled at the UK government on how they have handled Covid[-19]," Hamilton said. "You should have closed the borders two months ago.
"How you can let people fly in from countries without being tested is baffling. You could have saved thousands of lives. We need better leaders!”
