This petition is now closed, as its deadline has passed.
We the undersigned petition Westminster City Council to Remove the statue of Robert Clive. More details
Robert Clive was responsible for the invasion and brutalisation of millions across India and other South Asian countries. Clive looted massive wealth from Bengal. His policies provoked a famine killing an estimated 10 million people. Dalrymple wrote in The Guardian on 11 June: "Robert Clive was a vicious asset-stripper. His statue has no place on Whitehall". This is Westminster City Council's opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to anti-racism and to inspire others.
There are three main reasons to remove the statue:
1. The glorification of a mass murderer and looter in the heart of the nation’s capital is profoundly insulting
2. The location of the statue at the entrance to the FCO tells visitors that the British state condones the murderous activities of Robert Clive. It also tells our civil servants, MPs, and Whitehall staff that they are furthering his work
3. It’s time to improve the education that we receive about the British Empire, which starts with removing a statue that glorifies rather than educates
The council can consult on where to preserve the statue.
Meera Somji, the petition creator, joined by: