A plaque at Portchester Castle near Portsmouth that commemorated African-Caribbean prisoners of war held there in the 1790s has been stolen, only days after it was unveiled on 9 October.
The memorial marked the roughly 2,500 men, women and children brought to Britain in 1796 after British forces defeated resistance to colonial rule on Caribbean islands including St Vincent. Researchers say their story had been largely forgotten. The ceremony was organised by the group SV2G with the University of Warwick and English Heritage.
English Heritage said a gate padlock had been removed and the theft reported to police. A nearby bench was also defaced with hateful graffiti. Descendants, including members of the Garifuna community, linked the theft to racism, and St Lucia's high commissioner said the plaque would be returned or replaced.
Source: The Guardian
