Madrid removes last Franco statue

Redleslie2

The Madrid authorities have removed the city's last statue of former military ruler General Francisco Franco.

Before dawn, to jeers and cheers from fascist and anti-fascist supporters, a crane lifted the statue of the general mounted on a horse from its plinth.

There had been no notice that the 1959 statue would be removed.

The Spanish public works ministry told national radio it was removed to enable building work in the area and because "most Madrid citizens didn't like it".

BBC story.

It's unfortunate that the surplus twats in the pic couldn't have been carted off somewhere too. What statues here should be removed and why? I can't think of any really. I'm not too fond of the bust of the Duke of Wellington in Merrion Square because he was an old school monarchist reactionary and enemy of the poor but it doesn't bother me enough to be offensive. If I was a PD I'd say replace O'Connell Street's Jim Larkin with Tony O'Reilly or Michael O'Leary complete with inspirational quote. Perhaps - "What part of no refund don't you understand? You are not getting a refund so f**k off."

gandalf

Yep agreed with you on this one. They should have left it there as a reminder of the past and what had happened in their country rather than sweep it under the carpet (well not literally of course!). Statues like this and the numerous ones around Dublin tell the story of your city at that time and no matter how unsavoury they are today to some people they should be left in place as a reminder of your heritage and history.

Naw I doubt the PD's or anyone else would put a statue from one of our leading corporate lights on the street again after the floosy in the jacuzzi. A statue that was most popular with students and packs of Daz

As for the picture happy twits I'd like to see them try that in Germany !!!!

Redleslie2

gandalf wrote:

Yep agreed with you on this one. They should have left it there as a reminder of the past and what had happened in their country rather than sweep it under the carpet (well not literally of course!). Statues like this and the numerous ones around Dublin tell the story of your city at that time and no matter how unsavoury they are today to some people they should be left in place as a reminder of your heritage and history.

Naw I doubt the PD's or anyone else would put a statue from one of our leading corporate lights on the street again after the floosy in the jacuzzi. A statue that was most popular with students and packs of Daz

As for the picture happy twits I'd like to see them try that in Germany !!!!

No I'm happy to see it removed if it's a rallying point for fascists. Stick it in a museum dedicated to the civil war or something.

AngelofFire

Redleslie2 wrote:

. If I was a PD I'd say replace O'Connell Street's Jim Larkin with Tony O'Reilly or Michael O'Leary complete with inspirational quote. Perhaps - "What part of no refund don't you understand? You are not getting a refund so f**k off."

Classic

Wibbs

I second that. Classic. Kudos .

As for the gimps in the photo. I'd say leave the statue there so people can see these yahoos every so often to remind the twattery(is that even a word?) that inpired them.

The only problem with putting it in a museum is that people may think it's in the past. Sadly it's not, for far too may people. The gimps in the photo aren't exactly old.

simu

Wibbs wrote:

The gimps in the photo aren't exactly old.

They probably weren't even born when Franco died so they've probably built up a myth that life in Spain was glorious under his rule. The usual nonsense.

I agree with others here - you wouldn't want to have a city full of statues of a past dictator but it's a good idea to leave one as a reminder.