Latest news with #RosGriffiths
The Guardian
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
London artworks celebrating Windrush generation restored after vandalism
Portraits celebrating the Windrush generation in the heart of Brixton have been restored after a vandalism attack led to a global outpouring of support. The Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, displayed in Windrush Square, features 20 portraits and recollections of people who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean in the postwar era. The exhibition, a joint project involving community groups, social enterprises and creatives, was launched at the Big Caribbean Lunch event celebrating Windrush Day on 22 June in Lambeth. But, in the early hours of 3 July, the portraits were slashed and daubed with green paint. News of the attack led to community groups involved in the exhibition receiving support from all over the world, said Ros Griffiths, the chair of Friends of Windrush Square, with about £5,000 donated to an online fundraiser at GoFundMe in a week. The fundraiser has not yet met the £15,000 target, which meant the restoration work was only possible with a loan, Griffiths said, but organisers were keen to see the exhibition restored quickly, and would keep the fundraiser open. Griffiths added: 'Even though we did not achieve our target, we still went ahead and restored the portraits on credit because the stories couldn't wait. But we still ask everyone to continue to support the campaign to reach our goal, because every contribution helps to honour the legacy of our generation with the dignity and visibility it deserves. 'The public's response was overwhelming. The exhibition went viral. Messages of solidarity poured in from across the UK and beyond, as far away as Tokyo, any way they could connect with us, they did – people who had never set foot in Brixton. This is a testament of power of truth, visibility and collective pride.' The exhibition, developed with groups including Friends of Windrush Square, Empathy Museum, Black Cultural Archives, Photofusion and Born or Made, had been due to end on 10 July, but has now been extended for another fortnight, with talks under way to move it to the Home Office. The equalities minister, Seema Malhotra, visited the scene this week. The exhibition features a portrait of Clovis Samuel, one of the oldest members of the Windrush generation, who died recently, which gave this year's Windrush Day celebrations an added poignancy. In a post on GoFundMe, Ed Errington, of Empathy Museum, said: 'This exhibition is more than just images. It's a proud and public celebration of the Windrush generation and their descendants – a space for collective memory, recognition, and resilience.' The Metropolitan police said they arrested a 24-year-old man on Saturday 5 July, on suspicion of vandalism, and that he was taken to hospital due to concerns for his welfare. He was further arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage and possessing articles with intent to destroy or damage property, although officers added that 'based on additional inquiries', they did not believe the incident is racially motivated, but are continuing to 'explore all possible motives.'
Daily Mail
06-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Windrush exhibition vandalised in early morning attack as police quiz man, 24
A man has been arrested after a Windrush exhibition was vandalised in an early morning attack. The 24-year-old is currently in custody being quizzed by Scotland Yard officers after portraits were damaged in Brixton, south London, on Thursday. Officers were called to reports of vandalism at the exhibition at around 6.09am. Met Police said it does not currently believe the incident is a hate crime, adding that further enquiries will take place to establish the circumstances. Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, who leads policing in Brixton, said: 'We understand that those in the community will feel distressed about vandalism to the Windrush exhibition in Brixton. 'We believe that this was not a hate crime, and I want to reassure anyone with concerns, that a man has now been arrested. 'Local neighbourhood officers have been in contact with the organiser of the exhibition, and remain in the area to respond to any questions or worries that people may have.' Friends of Windrush Square said on Thursday that it believed the incident was an 'act of racial hatred'. The group's chair Ros Griffiths told the Standard: 'It's very upsetting. A couple of weeks ago it was Windrush Day and hundreds came out to remember the legacy of the Windrush Generation. 'The exhibition had been up for two weeks. I urged everyone to stand in solidarity with the Windrush Generation.'
BBC News
03-07-2025
- BBC News
Portraits honouring Windrush generation vandalised in Brixton
A Windrush exhibition in south London aimed at honouring the history, legacy, and contributions of the Windrush Generation to British society has been vandalised. Portraits featured in the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, currently installed in Windrush Square in Brixton, were damaged on of Windrush Square said the "deliberate vandalism" was "not only an attack on public art, but a blatant act of racial hatred directed at a community that has given so much to the life and spirit of the UK".The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment. The exhibition features 20 portraits and first-hand accounts of those who arrived in the UK from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and 1970s. Friends of Windrush Square said the vandalism had caused "considerable distress" to local residents, artists, volunteers, and project partners, "many of whom are directly connected to the Windrush legacy". Ros Griffiths, chair of Friends of Windrush Square, said: "This is a deeply upsetting and shocking act of racial disrespect. "Windrush Untold Stories was created to celebrate the contributions and resilience of the Windrush Generation, whose story is central to the fabric of British life. "That it should be targeted in such a hateful way is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges we face in building an inclusive and respectful society."
