Scaffolders erect boarding around the statue of Sir Winston Churchill at Parliament Square, in London, Thursday, June 11, 2020, following Black Lives Matter protests that took place across the U.K. over the weekend.
The protests were ignited by the death of George Floyd, who died after he was restrained by Minneapolis police while in custody on May 25.
(Kirsty O'Connor/PA via AP)LONDON Authorities in London boarded up a war memorial and a statue of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill ahead of expected rival demonstrations by anti-racism and far-right protesters, as the citys mayor on Friday urged protesters to stay home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Several other statues have been defaced during mass protests around the country, including Churchills, which was daubed with the words was a racist. Police now fear far-right groups plan to seek confrontation under the guise of protecting statues.
With more demonstrations expected on the weekend, a protective plywood screen was erected late Thursday around Churchills statue outside Parliament.