One of the most horrible things we’ve heard about this week, happened at David Livingstone Birthplace.
We were absolutely disgusted to see that the Livingstone and the Lion statue in the grounds was deliberately targeted and damaged. The spear was pulled off and badly bent by 1 man, leaving marks on the sculpture.
Additionally, the fountain was also affected—gravel has been thrown into the water, and children throwing stones have chipped the globe. Children playing in the fountain could easily get hurt or cause more damage without meaning to. The fountain is not a paddling pool. Cleaning it is a big job for the volunteer gardeners, and the gravel broke the internal pump, which now needs replacing.
In a statement online, staff at the Centre said, “We are a small, independent charity, and our amazing volunteer gardeners work so hard to keep the grounds beautiful and safe for everyone. Damage like this is a real blow—it takes time, money, and energy away from what really matters.”
CCTV is available around the David Livingstone grounds with footage captured.
Staff continued, “The statue and fountain are important parts of our centre and museum collection. We ask everyone to please treat the space with care, and if you see anything being damaged—on purpose or by accident—please let a staff member know. If the gentleman who caused the recent damage would like to collect the t-shirt he left behind, it’s waiting in our lost and found at the museum.”
What is society coming to?
If these damages are done by minors, hold parents responsible.
I read too many stories of youths/teens committing so many crimes. Surely something is missing from their upbringing.
Hammer the adults….no more compassionate considerations!
Don’t be easy on the minors either!