Margaret Thatcher statue egged by protester two hours after it’s unveiled
A £300,000 statue of Margaret Thatcher has been egged within two hours of it being lowered into place in her home town.
More than three years after plans were first approved, the 10ft-high granite memorial of the controversial prime minister was unveiled in Grantham, Lincolnshire, today.
Footage from this morning shows a man hurling eggs at the statue in front of shocked onlookers.
He can be seen walking off after one of them eventually hit the massive sculpture at St Peter’s Hill.
The incident should not come as a surprise after more than 13,000 people showed interest in such a protest two years ago.
Originally intended for Parliament Square in Westminster, it was moved to the town due to fears of a ‘motivated far-left movement… who may be committed to public activism’.
After a large-scale £100,000 unveiling ceremony was approved by South Kesteven District Council in 2020, a Facebook group proposed an ‘egg-throwing contest’ at the event.
More than 2,400 people confirmed they would take part in ‘egg throwing’ and ‘potentially graffiti art’.
As a result of the warning, the council installed a CCTV camera directly opposite the statue.
The egging also comes after Grantham Community Heritage Association (GCHA), an educational charity which manages Grantham Museum, spent a number of years raising money for a permanent memorial of the divisive politician who died in 2013.
Leader Kelham Cooke said ‘we must never hide from our history’, adding it is ‘appropriate the debate that surrounds her legacy takes place here in Grantham’.
‘This memorial statue of the late Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven will be a fitting tribute to a truly unique political figure,’ he said.
‘Margaret Thatcher will always be a significant part of Grantham’s heritage. She and her family have close ties with Grantham. She was born, raised and went to school here.
‘It is, therefore, appropriate that she is commemorated by her home town and that the debate that surrounds her legacy takes place here in Grantham.
‘We must never hide from our history and this memorial will be a talking point for generations to come.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted South Kesteven District Council for a comment.
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