Eggs were thrown after a statue of Baroness Margaret Thatcher was put into place in the former Prime Minister’s hometown of Grantham.
Within hours of the monument being erected on Sunday, loud boos were heard from some motorists as they passed, with one man yelling, “Throw it out!”
Other, less vocal passers-by could be seen taking selfies with the statue.
The £300,000 statue was originally intended for Parliament Square in Westminster, but it was decided that it would be erected in lincolnshire instead, due to fears of a “motivated far-left movement … that may be engaged in public activism.”
Initially approved in 2019 and delayed due to COVID, the 20-foot statue was eventually erected on its 10-foot-high granite plinth, situated between the statues of Sir Isaac Newton and Frederick Tollemache in the city’s Civic Quarter.
After South Kesteven District Council approved a £100,000 ribbon-cutting ceremony in 2020, a Facebook group proposed an “egg tossing contest” at the event attracted the interest of more than 13,000 people.
About 2,400 other people took to the Facebook page to say they would attend the event that includes “egg throwing…and potentially graffiti art.”
In response, the council installed a CCTV camera right in front of the monument.
The statue was paid for by the Public Memorials Appeal, which is funded through donations.
The memorial will be unveiled “at a later date”, according to a council spokesman.
South Kesteven District Council Leader Kelham Cooke said “we must never hide from our history”, adding that it is “appropriate that the debate surrounding his legacy should take place here in Grantham”.
He said the statue would be a “fitting tribute to a truly unique political figure”, calling Baroness Thatcher “an important part of Grantham’s heritage”.
A man throws an egg at the monument, a few hours after its erection
The daughter of a shopkeeper, baroness thatcher he was born, raised and went to school in the market town.
Cooke continued: “We must never hide from our history and this monument will be a talking point for generations to come.”
He said he hoped it would encourage people to visit Grantham to learn more.
The City Council has installed a CCTV camera opposite to deter vandals
The Grantham Community Heritage Association (GCHA), an educational charity that runs the Grantham Museum, spent several years raising money for a permanent memorial to Baroness Thatcher.
GCHA’s Graham Jeal said: “There has long been a conversation in Grantham about a more permanent memorial to the country’s first female prime minister, who was a huge political figure, both domestically and internationally.
“The delivery of the monument has secured the museum for years to come and has helped the museum’s finances survive the covid pandemic.
“It is recognized that there is a full spectrum of views in Grantham on Margaret Thatcher’s legacy and an exhibition within the museum illustrates this.”
Grantham also has a plaque to mark the birthplace of Baroness Thatcher, on the corner of North Parade and Broad Street.
Reference-news.sky.com