LONDON: The British government has warned a number of cultural institutions that their public funding could be called into question should they remove statues or other objects that have become the focus of protests or complaints.
The issue of how Britain should deal with the legacies of its past, especially its role in slavery and colonialism, has been the subject of passionate debate since the statue of a slave trader was toppled by protesters in Bristol in June.
Since then, officials have removed the statue of another slave trader in London, a concert hall in Bristol has renamed itself, and venerable institutions like Oxford University have grappled publicly with what to do about contested heritage.
In a letter sent to the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Gallery and other prominent cultural…