A statue of the man who founded the Scout movement is being removed from Poole Quay to be placed in “safe storage” amid fears it is on a “target list for attack”.
Vikki Slade, leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, tweeted that the decision was taken following a “threat”, adding: “It’s literally less than 3m from the sea so is at huge risk ”
The Baden-Powell statue had been targeted by campaigners due to his associations with the Nazis and the Hitler youth programme, as well as his actions in the military.
The move follows the statue of a slave trade being torn down by protesters in Bristol over the weekend.
It was removed from the nearby river on Thursday morning.
Another statue has been removed in London and statues across the country are being reviewed for racist connections and links to slavery.
A campaign has been launched to remove statues of Sir Francis Drake in Plymouth, and another to remove a statue of World War One icon Lord Kitchener in Kent.
A statue of Winston Churchill in London has been vandalised.
A Scouts spokesman said: “We are aware that Baden-Powell’s statue is being removed from Poole Harbour today.
“We look forward to discussing this matter with Poole Council to make an informed decision on what happens next.
“Baden-Powell was the founder of the Scout movement. Currently there are over 54 million Scouts in the world and we operate in almost every nation on earth, promoting tolerance and global solidarity.
“The Scout movement is resolute in its commitment to inclusion and diversity and members continually reflect and challenge ourselves in how we live our values.”
