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Andrew Morris / PA Media; fake pictures
Haile Selassie was the last emperor of Ethiopia.
A statue of former Ethiopian leader Haile Selassie was destroyed in a park in Wimbledon, southwest London.
Police are investigating the incident, which took place in Cannizaro Park on Tuesday night.
The damage to the bust was done by a group of about 100 people, according to an eyewitness.
It appears to be related to the riots in Ethiopia sparked after a popular singer, Hachalu Hundessa, was shot dead earlier this week.
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Post-death protests saw a statue of royal prince Ras Makonnen Wolde Mikael, the father of Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia, shot down in the eastern city of Harar.
Hachalu’s songs focused on the rights of Ethiopia’s Oromo ethnic group and had been a prominent voice in anti-government protests that led to a leadership change in 2018.
Wimbledon resident Andrew Morris told the Press Association that he had seen a mostly male group in the park, carrying flyers with Oromo slogans, while walking their dog.
“I heard that the statue was breaking, but I didn’t actually see it happen,” he added.
Metropolitan Police said investigations were ongoing and that arrests had not yet been made after a criminal damage report was called at 17:10 BST on Tuesday.
Selassie lived at Wimbledon in 1936 during her exile after the Italian invasion of her country. The statue was sculpted by Hilda Seligman, while she stayed with her family, and then she erected it in Cannizaro Park.
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