Police have said the vandalism of an exhibition honouring the Windrush generation is ‘not a hate crime’ after arresting a suspect.
Officers were called to reports of vandalism in Brixton, south London at 6.00am on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said.
As many as 20 photographs of members from the Windrush generation had been sprayed with paint and attacked with a sharp object.
A 24-year-old man was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of vandalism, the force said.
He was taken to a police station where he remains in custody.
According to the Brixton Blog, most of the images were gouged around the eyes, leaving ‘irreparable damage’.
Based on investigations carried out so far, the incident is not being treated as a hate crime, the Met said, adding that further enquiries will take place to establish the circumstances.
Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, who leads policing in Brixton, said: ‘We understand that those in the community will feel distressed about vandalism to the Windrush exhibition in Brixton.
‘We believe that this was not a hate crime, and I want to reassure anyone with concerns, that a man has now been arrested.
‘Local neighbourhood officers have been in contact with the organiser of the exhibition, and remain in the area to respond to any questions or worries that people may have.’
A fundraising page has been set up to restore the exhibition, which has so far raised more than £2,000.
Latest London news
- ‘Severe’ delays on Piccadilly line after huge fire breaks out near tracks in South Harrow
- We tried London’s ‘incredibly chic’ fried chicken – this is how it compares to KFC
- Landlord still hasn’t repaired pensioner’s door three months after it was bashed in
To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s London news hub.
The Windrush scandal involved the wrongful detention, denial of rights, and deportation of legal UK residents, mainly Caribbean immigrants who arrived between 1948 and 1971.
Due to a lack of official documentation and hostile immigration policies, many faced loss of jobs, housing, and healthcare, despite having lived in the UK for decades.
Lambeth’s council’s cabinet member for stronger communities, Donatus Anyanwu said before the arrest:’We are deeply saddened that the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition has been vandalised, and strongly condemn anyone responsible.
‘The exhibition and the events held in Lambeth to mark Windrush Day in June were a brilliant way of honouring and celebrating the significant contributions of the Windrush Generation and their descendants to British life.
‘This act of vandalism sours the community spirit and sense of unity that we’ve built, but we won’t let an act of criminality derail our commitment to celebrating our diversity, or our commitment to making Lambeth a borough of equity and justice.’
