A WAREHOUSE worker teamed up with Army cadets to scrub off graffiti from the Winston Churchill statue after the Black Lives Matter protests.
The selfless group cleaned the statue after it was left reading "Churchill was a racist" during yesterday's protests in central London.
A fifth volunteer also helped the clean up after finishing a gruelling night shift.
Max, 25, who took part in the protests, said he "just felt like it was the right thing to do".
He told the MailOnline: "For me it was a decision I made last night.
"I worked during a long night shift and I received the news that the statue was being defaced. I just felt like it was the right thing to do.
"It was completely independent, I thought to myself I'd be the only one there. I didn't mean to antagonise or upset anyone to do it. When I got there I was pleased to see four young Army cadets already cleaning the statue.
"I did actually attend the Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday in support of the movement. I feel strongly to show solidarity. I understand the actions that carried on late into last night were that of a minority.
"But I will not have war memorials defaced. The violence and to see the anger and hatred towards the police was very, very hard to watch for me. It came to standing up for what's right."
The five volunteers brought their own cleaning products and only stopped cleaning the Parliament Square memorial when a professional cleaner, also called Winston, turned up to finish the job this morning.
PEACEFUL PROTESTS
A war veteran also tried cleaning the statue and blasted yobs who sprayed it with graffiti but admitted a minority ruined the peaceful protest.
Darryl Holmes, 38, scrubbed clean the memorial after the "racist" was daubed on it during Black Lives Matter protests.
Mr Holmes, a retired corporal in 1st Royal Anglian regiment, told SunOnline: “The fact that it got vandalised on D-Day really tugged on the heart strings.
“I don’t think they [the vandals] understood that thousands of races and religions died during World War II, it [their service] was for everybody.
“All of their lives mattered.”
Violent clashes marred the largely peaceful protests in London at the weekend – with shocking pictures of police bleeding in the streets.
But Mr Holmes, who served in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Iraq, said that the Black Lives Matter protesters he met were “disgusted” with the ugly scenes.
He explained: “We started cleaning the statue and a few people said ‘well done’ but we were also questioned by others and there were the old remarks ‘Winston Churchill is a racist and a fascist’”
“But we said we respect Black Lives Matter and understand their protest, but we also respect Winston Churchill for being the greatest military leader this country has ever had.
“Black Lives Matter leaders were trying to calm it down for us, there was mutual respect.”
Mr Holmes, who is part of an organisation called Veterans Vs Vandalism, said that while he was grilled by some protesters about why he was cleaning the statue – he never felt in danger.
He told SunOnline: “There was one point when someone was close to my face, but I was more worried about coronavirus than physical violence.
“There just didn’t seem to be that sort of vibe.
“There was a lot of questioning and understanding.
“It seemed to be a lot of peaceful protests and one or two trying to instigate and get reactions.
“I think the fact we said we believe in Black Lives Matter and it is terrible what’s happened, they understood that.”
Mr Holmes added: “I believe that a lot of people from Black Lives Matter thought the graffiti was disgusting as well – they don’t want to tarnish their group’s name.
“It’s a small minority.”
Winston Churchill has widely been called a "complex" politician and his legacy has divided opinions in recent years.
He is remembered most famously for defeating fascism and the Nazis in World War Two but he has also been held responsible for atrocities such as the 1943 Bengal Famine resulting in three million deaths in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
One protestor left under the statue a sign arguing why they think he was racist, saying he referred to "beastly" Indians and supported using poisonous gas against "uncivilised tribes."
To say that the death of black American George Floyd has hit a nerve in the UK is a huge understatement.
After video showed white officer, Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee on the neck of the dying man - while he pleaded for air with his hands handcuffed behind him - horrified Brits vowed to “kneel for Floyd in solidarity with protesters in America”.
While tens of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the US, anti-racism demonstrations continue to be held in Britain, with people chanting "Black Lives Matter" and waving placards calling for justice.
One Londoner told the BBC that she attended a rally with pals on May 31 in the capital as "we wanted to show we're proud of who we are and that we shouldn't have to hide our blackness to stay alive".
Some at the London protest held signs showing the names of black people who have either died in custody, or perished after encounters with cops.
Floyd's shocking death prompted Star Wars actor John Boyega to say he does not want to "work in fear" when he is in the US.
Speaking out about racism in America, the star added that he has "family and friends there who could be any one of the victims of things that don't change".
Comedian Paddy McGuinness said that Floyd's death "can't be in vain".
He added: "I was lucky to grow up in a multicultural area.
"Playing in various households I learned one thing - that we're all the same."
Harry Styles has pledged to donate money to help pay for protesters to be bailed.
The celebs' support comes as a Justice for George Floyd petition has been set up in honour of the killed man.
More than 16.3million people have already signed the online petition.
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