Bristol mayor: Colston Four verdict has little to do with drive to tackle racism

Marvin Rees rejects claim he should have removed statue, saying he could not afford to waste political capital on issue

The verdict in the trial of the Colston Four has little to do with efforts to tackle racism in Bristol, the city's mayor has said as he defended himself against criticism for not acting sooner over the statue of the slave trader Edward Colston.

Speaking to the Guardian after three men and a woman were cleared of criminal damage in toppling the statue in 2020, Marvin Rees said the fate of the statue was symbolic but he had no reaction" to the verdict.