A prolonged dispute has persisted in Hackney regarding the monument dedicated to Robert Geffrye.

The statue continues to stand prominently within the grounds of what is now known as the Museum of the Home, having previously been referred to as the Geffrye Museum.

The dispute stems from the fact that Geffrye accumulated substantial riches partly through earnings derived from the slave trade.

This is confirmed by the museum’s own website, which states that the statue reflects the historic connection of the museum buildings to Robert Geffrye, an English merchant who made part of his money from investment in the transatlantic slave trade.

Activists contend that understanding our own past is essential and that they have no intention of attempting to erase it.

Their position is that all people should come to terms with our shared history.

However, commemorating individuals such as Geffrye through public monuments is inappropriate.

The author endorses the activists’ position.

MP Diane Abbott maintains that slavery should not be commemorated through public monuments.

The transatlantic slave trade constituted one of the most abhorrent atrocities in the history of humanity.

Countless individuals were forcibly transported via the Middle Passage.

Substantial additional numbers perished following their arrival in the Americas, whether through deliberate neglect or acts of violence.

Authoritative assessments indicate that the total number of those who died reached approximately 12 million.

This represents a shameful period in human history, the ramifications of which continue to affect us today.

Hackney ranks among the most multicultural boroughs in London, itself one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

Residents generally take considerable pride in this characteristic and welcome the numerous advantages it provides.

The prosperity of London was a significant factor in its appeal to diverse populations, and successive waves of newcomers have each made invaluable contributions to that wealth.

However, slavery formed part of that foundational prosperity.

This must never be erased from memory.

Yet it must not be celebrated.

For this reason, approaches have been made to the museum’s management requesting the removal of the Robert Geffrye monument.

A public consultation conducted as early as 2020 revealed considerable support for the statue’s removal.

The approach has been one of reasonableness and concession, with the position being that it should be relocated from its prominent public position rather than eliminated entirely.

Commemorating slave traders causes genuine offence and Hackney residents find this objectionable.

The time has come for their views to be given proper consideration.

Diane Abbott represents Hackney North and Stoke Newington as a Labour MP.