Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic statue at Tavistock Square in London was vandalised on Monday, just days before Gandhi Jayanti on October 2. The incident has sparked outrage in India and abroad, with the Indian High Commission in the UK strongly condemning the act as shameful and an attack on the legacy of nonviolence.
The plinth of the bronze statue, which depicts Gandhi in a meditative seated posture, was defaced with anti-India graffiti. Officials from the Indian mission immediately visited the site and began coordinating with local authorities to restore the monument to its original state. In a statement, the High Commission of India said, This is not just vandalism, but a violent attack on the idea of non-violence, three days before the International Day of Non-Violence, and on the legacy of the Mahatma. It further added that the matter has been raised strongly with UK authorities for swift action.
The statue was sculpted by artist Fredda Brilliant and unveiled in 1968 with the support of the India League. It was erected at Tavistock Square as a tribute to Gandhi’s days as a law student at University College London. The plinth bears the inscription, Mahatma Gandhi, 1869-1948. Over time, the square became a space for peace memorials, including a cherry tree planted in remembrance of Hiroshima victims, a field maple marking the UN’s International Year of Peace, and a granite memorial dedicated to conscientious objectors in 1995. These additions earned the area the name peace park in London.
Each year on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti also observed as the International Day of Non-Violence by the United Nations is commemorated at this site with floral tributes and renditions of Gandhi’s favourite bhajans. The latest act of vandalism, just ahead of these celebrations, has therefore struck a particularly sensitive chord. The Metropolitan Police and Camden Council have confirmed that they are investigating the case. Meanwhile, India’s strong reaction underlines not only the symbolic importance of the statue but also the enduring global relevance of Gandhi’s message of peace and nonviolence.
