Five men suspected of criminal damage over the toppling of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol have been let off with cautions by the police on the condition that they explain their actions to a history commission.
A mob of activists pulled the bronze statue of the 17th-century merchant from its plinth and threw it in Bristol harbour during a Black Lives Matter protest in June. When the monument was later recovered from the water, it was found to have sustained £3,750-worth of damage.
Avon and Somerset police has announced that it has concluded its investigations into the incident and the five men, aged between 18 and 47, were handed cautions over the destruction. Investigators have sent their files on four other people to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for it to decide whether they should be charged over the incident.
The five men who received the slap on the wrist were also instructed to pay a fine that would go to a charity supporting people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities in Bristol.
“Those offered the conditional caution have been given a week to decide whether they want to accept it. Should any of them choose not to accept, officers will approach the CPS to seek a charging decision to be made,” the police said in a statement.
The other conditions of the caution were that the men will have to complete a questionnaire from a history commission which was set up by Bristol city council, in which they can outline the reasons for their actions.
They will also have to take part in two hours of environmental improvement works arranged and by Bristol city council.
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