Update: Thursday 16 July 2020 – Bristol City Council has removed the Jen Reid statue from the plinth and placed it in a museum to await collection by artist Marc Quinn

Catching the Bristol authorities totally unaware, a dawn action by BLM supporters has erected a stunning statue of Jen Reid, a BLM protester.

Jen was the protester who was photographed with raised fist on the empty plinth upon which once sat slave trader Edward Colston.

Two lorries and 10 people were involvement in the carefully planned erection of the Jen Reid statue.

The scuplture is by artist Marc Quinn.

Jen Reid told the Guardian, just before the statues were readied to depart the scene: “That’s pretty fucking ballsy, that it is.”

Bristol has a vibrant radical artist scene and the action at 5am in the morning has combined with the radical roots of the city, from the Bus boycott in 1963 to the St Pauls riot of 1981.

An estimated 20,000 mostly white Bristolians took part in the protest that toppled Colston on 7 June 2020.

Bristol is the home town of elusive radical street artist Banksy.

The Jen Reid statue will no doubt rile the right-wing and racists everywhere who claim that removing the Colston statue was an affront to history.

In reality the throwing of Colston into the dock was the perfect location for the monstrous human rights abuser, kidnapper and murderer.

Commuters were gathering around the statue this morning to discuss its import.

“It is incredible seeing it,” said the daughter of Reid, Leila Reid.

Artist Quinn said: “Jen created the sculpture when she stood on the plinth and rasied her arm in the air. Now we’ve crystalised it.”

He continued: “It look like it has always been here.”

Jen Reid video: she told friends “you’re going to see a lot more of me”

“I’m elated excited, I’m full of pride. I feel really really proud. I shed a tear. It’s all about keeping the conversation going… keeping black lives matter at the forefront and making history” – Jen Reid