4 Comments
Feb 28, 2022Liked by Dani Cole

Excellent. A bunch of people pulling down the statue and dropping it into the Irwell would be very entertaining. But painting would work. Pleased I gave you an idea.

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Feb 28, 2022Liked by The Mill

Excellent journalism as ever. I had no idea about the Ukraine colours on Engels, which I'm sure felt like a mild provocation at the time - aren't we daring?! Home should do something about it now.

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author

Many thanks Michael. We will ask HOME for its take.

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Engels was a supporter of the rights of nations to independence. He had strong links with the large Irish working class community in Manchester and is said to have sheltered an escaped Fenian prisoner. That his name was used after his death to add lustre to a totalitarian regime cannot be laid at his door. We have our own memorials to him. Take it down.

On the subject of Eastern European statues, I must recommend Lea Ypi's memoirs of growing up in Albania - "Free". It starts with the fall of communism with her as a young girl hugging a giant statue of Stalin.

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