The Home Secretary has called the damage to statues in Parliament Square during a trans rights protest “completely unacceptable” as police continue to investigate the incident.
Seven statues were daubed with graffiti during a trans rights protest in central London on Saturday as thousands gathered for an “emergency demonstration” days after a Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman.
“Fag rights” and a heart were painted on the banner held by a statue of the suffragette Millicent Fawcett during the protests.
Meanwhile, “trans rights are human rights” was sprayed on the pedestal bearing a memorial to South African military leader and statesman Jan Christian Smuts.
Commenting on the graffiti, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Criminal damage like this, including to statues of men and women who fought for freedom and justice like Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Millicent Fawcett, is disgraceful - it is right the police are investigating.
"We are strengthening the law to better respect and protect important memorials.
"Freedom of speech and protest are important in our democracy, but this kind of criminal damage is completely unacceptable.”
Plans are underway to remove the graffiti, but specialist equipment will need to be brought in, the Met Police explained as the force issued a fresh appeal for information on Sunday.
The square is home to 12 statues of political figures, including Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi.
No arrests have been made, but officers are investigating, Scotland Yard said.
Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, who led the policing operation for the protest, said: “Criminal damage and vandalism like this has no place on the streets of London and spoils the area for locals and those visiting.
“While the police support the public’s right to protest, criminality like this is senseless and unacceptable.
“We are pursuing this and will take action against those responsible.
“Working with the Greater London Authority, plans are under way to remove the graffiti but this requires specialist equipment and we are confident this will be done shortly.
“We are keen to speak to those who saw anything on the day and urge anyone with information, pictures or footage to come forward.”
Officers are also dealing with a number of complaints from the public about signs and images shared on social media that were reportedly displayed at the protest, the Met said.
So far, the images and signs are from historic events, “did not take place in London, or do not constitute a criminal offence”, the force added.
Activists at the demonstration demanded “trans liberation” and “trans rights now”, with some waving flags and holding banners as they marched towards St James’s Park.
In a long-awaited judgment delivered on Wednesday, the UK’s highest court confirmed the terms “woman” and “sex” in the 2010 Equality Act “refer to a biological woman and biological sex”.
This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces if “proportionate”.
The Government said the unanimous decision by five judges brought “clarity and confidence” for women and service providers, while a Labour Party source said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had brought the party to a “common sense position” on the subject from an “activist” stance.
