London, July 17 (RHC)-- In Bristol, England, a statue of 17th century slave trader Edward Colston toppled by protesters last month has been replaced -- with a tribute to a Black Lives Matter demonstrator. 

The new monument features a life-size replica of activist Jen Reid, who stood on the former statue’s empty pedestal, fist held high, after it was torn from its perch and thrown into the harbor on June 7th.  Jen Reid told reporters: “For me, getting on that plinth, I raised my fist.  And I raised my fist to give power back to the people, back to the slaves who died at the hands of Colston.  I gave power to George Floyd and for other Black people who have faced injustices for being Black.”

The statue was installed by a London-based artist without permission from Bristol officials, though the city’s mayor stopped short Wednesday of saying it would be removed.