Red paint was spattered on Colbert’s chest and legs and the words "state negrophobia" were scrawled at the bottom of his statue, which towers the National Assembly overlooking the river Seine.
The vandalism act was carried out by a group called the Anti-Negrophobia Brigade, which has called out "institutionalised anti-Black racism" in France.
The group posted a video showing the vandalist being arrested by police and justifying his action as a political act.
Acte politique sur la statue de #Colbert #RacismeDEtat pic.twitter.com/JtufMz0Bkb
— AntiNégrophobie (@Antinegrophobie) June 24, 2020
"What is forbidden is racism. That man (Colbert) is glorifying negrophobia," the author said, before being taken away.
Monuments such as Colbert’s have come under scrutiny ever since the death of George Floyd in the US, which has galvanized action in many countries against racial injustice and police violence.
At an anti-racism protest in Paris earlier this month, demonstrators called for controversial statues to be taken down, as part of a global movement called Statues Must Fall.
Why is Colbert controversial ?
Anti-colonialism campaigners reproach Colbert for penning the 'Black Code,' a legal framework governing slaves in France’s overseas colonies during the 17th century.
A prominent minister under "Sun King" Louis XIV, he began writing the 'Black Code' in 1682 with the help of intendants and governors of the colonies. He wrote laws for everything from trade, taxes to roads, essentially regulating all aspects of life led by slaves under their masters.
"Colbert wanted clear rules," historian Jacob Soll told daily Le Monde, explaining that this highly codified system existed as much in France as it did in the colonies. Soll points out that Colbert granted slaves a "human status" preventing them from being killed by their owners.
In the end, the 'Black Code' would be promulgated after Colbert’s death in 1685 by his son the Marquis of Seignelay, who Soll argues, modified much of it. For the historian, Colbert was one of the great law makers of France and not the only author of the 'Black Code.'
What reactions have there been ?
Several politicians, notably from the right-wing, on Wednesday accused the anti-colonialism campaign of trying to "rewrite history" in insisting controversial statues be removed.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said "judging history based on principles of today makes no sense. If we do that, we will have to take down statues of everyone, general de Gaulle, Napoleon included."
French President Emmanuel Macron so far, has resisted calls to remove historical monuments deemed offensive, as they have been in the US and the UK.
However, several have been vandalised. On Monday, two statues adjacent to the nearby Invalides monument, where Napoleon is buried, were found drenched in red paint.
No black and white
"Censuring what is paradoxical is sometimes absurd," reckons for his part, Richard Ferrand, head of France’s National Assembly.
He told BFM TV that Colbert cannot be seen in black and white alone.
Celebrated for an economic doctrine known as “colbertism” that boosted French industry, the prominent minister was also a dark figure, Ferrand admits.
"What we perhaps need to do is explain the dark and light areas of this historical figure. Maybe it is there that we have work to do to enlighten citizens," he said.
