Chelsea graffiti was clearly visible on the Winston Churchill statue
(Picture: REUTERS)The Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square was covered in Chelsea graffiti last night following the west London club’s Champions League win.
The statue has been awarded around-the-clock police protection during protests and marches supporting racial equality and women’s rights in recent months.
However, as thousands of Chelsea fans celebrated their team’s victory, it appears the statue of the former Prime Minister was left unguarded.
Graffiti reading “Chelsea”, “CFC” and “1905” [the year Chelsea Football Club was founded] were daubed across several statues in Westminster, including one of Winston Churchill.
Police officers could be seen surveying the damage on Sunday morning.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “On the morning of Sunday, May 30, officers noted ‘Chelsea FC’ related graffiti on the plinths of two statues in Parliament Square.
“This has been recorded as criminal damage. CCTV footage will be analysed to identify the person responsible.”
Chelsea won the Champions League final in Porto last night after defeating Manchester City 1-0.
Statues with colonial or slave trade links were toppled or defaced last summer amid widespread Black Lives Matter protests.
It looks like the police didn't manage to protect the Winston Churchill statue this time.
— dan barker (@danbarker) May 30, 2021
"Chelsea - 1905 CFC". pic.twitter.com/LynsQxeNHU
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, will pave the way for anyone who vandalises a statue to receive up to 10 years in prison.
The length of the proposed sentence has led to fierce criticism that statues are valued more than human life among some MPs.
