Bust of King Leopold II removed from Belgian city of Ghent | AFP

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the independence of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the city of Ghent organises an official ceremony where the statue of the former king Leopold II is taken down.
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/ @afp

[@sapphyrus]

Why would they even have his statues? The man is one of history's cruelest monsters.

[@Clear4TheSincere]

Because those are the hero's of democracy.

[@ArianTheDon88]

A lot of them love this guy

[@javier6926]

Mongolia has statues of Genghis Khan everywhere and he murdered way more people. Apparently imperialism is only evil when Europeans do it.

[@Clear4TheSincere]

@@javier6926 No he to was evil.

[@javier6926]

@@Clear4TheSincere yet I don’t see social justice warriors complaining about him. He wasn’t white , therefore to them he was “ a victim “.

[@Uros_06_]

Having a statue of Leopold II of Belgium in Belgium is equivalent to having a statue of Hitler in Germany, Mussolini in Italy, or Pavelić in Croatia,or Mao in China, Pol Pot in Cambodia,Idi Amin in Uganda,Papa Doc in Haiti,Hussein in Iraq, Milošević in Serbia(im Serbian myself, doesn't matter),. Same shit.

[@SoDaoudi]

Whike i agree that leopold 2 was a selfish greedy bastard colonialist enslaver he isnt nearly as bad as hitler or shoudnt be viewed as that. He got the congo for himself and enslaved the population to hard labour, because he wanted to enrich himself. Practically it were companies that made the people there work and mutilate them, technically not leopold himself. Most if them died due to imported diseases and malnourishment. So u can see why it is ridiculous to comparz him to hitler.

[@ILaunchNukes]

@@SoDaoudi 6.2 million Congolwse died under Leopold's terror.

[@tacklefatkids]

You're wrong. Because in China they have statues and propaganda dedicated to Mao despite bring the murderer of millions of Chinese innocent people who have died because of famine and disease because of his social changes he forced upon the population.

[@SoDaoudi]

@@ILaunchNukes nope there are no reliable numbers for that, there was no data, nor was there ever a population count. This high number is pure propaganda. There some anglosaxob writers, who in my eyes are propagandist. They deduced that the around 10 million people died during the reing of leopold. They did that by comparing the population number from the begining of his reign to the number at the end. But again they never were reliable or official numbers so its most likeley. But even if u would take that number again. That number doesnt take in acount natural deaths, or deaths unrelated to reign of leopold. But a great mahjority of those deaths were due to the imported diseases that the people of the west took to the congolese people.

[@gojira4036]

@@SoDaoudi no they died from malnourishment and the fact leopald made his soldiers cut off their hands.

[@cambodia1797]

Removing a statue is nothing but it’s a start. This is nothing compared to what he did.

[@jayh3283]

It’s not just that. They are removing his statue so he won’t be treated like an honorable person and instead will be used to educate others by shaming what he has done.

[@magtinfal7908]

A start to what?

[@User-zx6tt]

Can’t believe his statue stayed up for that long

[@beans00001]

Removing a statue of a person is not “removing history”. It’s acknowledging the crimes and atrocities of a public figure

[@brittnotheidiot7036]

What did he do

[@AlgiNetheriteMations]

@@brittnotheidiot7036he killed people

[@danieldanieldadada]

​@@brittnotheidiot7036he was kind of responsible for killing millions of people from the Congo. A bit more than the average colonialist.

[@michaellagabby]

Put it in Museum and label it as "King the Black Murderer" so that he will not be forgotten forever.

[@CrayCray9]

Put it in the museum’s toilet so that it can be pissed on. Or turn his tomb into a toilet.

[@gojira4036]

no it should be named “Leopald the Congolese Killer”

[@samanth.]

They should label Hitler as white murderer

[@sunboy1558]

This man is Evil, his profits brought prosperity to belgium,We dont need Any appology from Europe,let them face whatever befall them

[@EZ_Money101]

Or they should have a hall fame section in the basement of the museum for human trash legends.

[@Tuncapoo]

No evil deed goes unpunished. If not now, then in the next.

[@Great_White21]

Bruh he lived a full and rich life. I dont really see the punisment here..

[@user-ks4gc2it3x]

@@Great_White21 in the judgment day

[@OcnarfPro]

Most evil deeds go unpunished

[@KI-gs8sq]

@@Great_White21 he will pay for his sins in the next life. This life is temporary

[@RhodesianSAS-gn4qp]

This wasn't "punishment" this was an act of leftist power display, once the left is pesticised from society, King Leo's II glorious posture will reappear for the public.

[@mybrotha8144]

The fact that they made a statue of him let’s you know how deep racism is

[@Philip-dy3ww]

It’s not racism . It’s just atrocity done by a dictator .

[@Lidogz]

@@Philip-dy3wwHow is that not racism he considered the people inferior you think he would do that to millions of Europeans?

[@AA-wu2fk]

​@@doitrytebetaversion6295 Racist people like yourself never prevail

[@wj5764]

​@@Lidogzhe was saying that is far alot worse

[@shogun6548]

​@@LidogzIl faut prendre les chose dans leur ensemble et avec le contexte de l'époque, non ce n'est pas du racisme. En Russie il y a des statues de Joseph Staline alors qu'il a massacré des minorité.

[@Andrew_alxf21]

This one deserve it. He was very cruel

[@teegrowl5186]

He was Nefarious and sickning

[@TheAllAmericanHoneyBadger]

I’m glad that they are putting it in a museum, History no matter how brutal should not be erased.

[@edgychico9311]

Dude has more kills than an angry Austrian painter 💀💀💀

[@dhdozkendoslendimdnealdkd2545]

I’m glad they put it in a museum

[@thehoneyeffect]

yes they must never forget, but the colonisers need to tell the truth about their evil history

[@teegrowl5186]

That's just a safe haven

[@EZ_Money101]

It should have end up in the garbage or recycle it and make public toilet seat.

[@usualunknown1950]

Nobody care for africans, so get over it and move on... they're gonna 😵💀 starving anyways... Lol

[@abortive1581]

​@thehoneyeffect everyone who "colonised" your country is probably dead so who are u blaming

[@smeekle2000]

"One shall stand. One shall fall." -Optimus Prime

[@mellamojeff458]

And that person is your overlord, Klaus who wants to make you poor and raped from migrants from africa

[@zeeloterij8164]

Give me your face - optimus prime

[@mylgardose]

"Let them cum...." - probably Optimus Prime

[@doanchibinh1365]

You can’t stand if you haven’t legs-Leopold ii 😅

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

If statues of any atrocious reputation holders from Robert E Lee to King Leopold are removed to single locations like corner parks or museums, it's not cancel culture, adherents can still go see em. On the other hand, book banning supporters might use this to tell readers who want those books available to get em elsewhere.

[@DANIELEKING]

@@kittycatwithinternetaccess2356 agreed

[@lisarino1180]

You can’t erase History and also you shouldn’t

[@1313tennisman]

@@lisarino1180 How is removing a statue erasing history

[@TheAllAmericanHoneyBadger]

Robert E Lee was a Confederate General and King Leopold was a brutal dictator, they are very different.

[@eggnugget575]

I think they should’ve kept it there but the “blood” should also be kept on too

[@thehoneyeffect]

exactly

[@EZ_Money101]

Yep & they should put it lower to the ground and place it near a dog park...

[@Mattipedersen]

Hell, just give him a Santa hat and they can re-use it, each xmas.

[@haziq0007]

Or put hands skeletons and skulls that would be a good and terrifying display!!

[@bitsandbobs6329]

Yes I totally agree that the statue of Leopold II is a very good object to educate the people in Belgium and also other countries.

[@xpanzerfaustii8183]

then lets erect a statue of hitler and a swastika flag in the middle of berlin to educate the people in germany and also other countries.. no?

[@teegrowl5186]

Fk that statue

[@macrobianson2g]

He and his status belongs to hell

[@Decisionmusic.]

Or pick up a book to learn about him, you don’t need the statute plus they graffitied all over it

[@doffy2192]

​@@teegrowl5186no

[@nighthalo1129]

I believe the best thing to do with the statue is to put it in a museum and history of him and his cruelty

[@giansaculsan1839]

I surprised that it's been there for so many years

[@ceaserjuarez2304]

This monster is probably in hell

[@ps5user155]

If it exists then I’d say that’s definite

[@priestessmikokikyo77]

@@ps5user155 He is in hell with all the other killers in history! Heaven and Hell have always existed! we cant excuse these atrocities but we as humans must learn from the past to make a better future!

[@ajithrampursad546]

I dont understand if he was the king at the end why did he give Congo free state to Belgium government if he was the government himself as he was the king .

[@GuyIncognito-pm4cp]

Leopold II was a Constitutional Monarch, meaning Parliament had power, not him. Also, the international community had denounced Leopold for his atrocities in the Congo, and the US and UK were planning to hold a convention on the Congo to force Leopold to get rid of it. So, the Belgian parliament forcibly annexed the Congo Free State.

[@DoomPhD]

Hey can I have that if you're not using it?

[@Lucas79]

Imaging having a statue of hitler in Germany

[@pablorosario5232]

That statue looks like old Kratos

[@acmelka]

yeah that's kind of late. if they have statues they should leave them up but hack off the hands

[@ingemarcaferma6835]

Congo's magnificent revenge against a demon king

[@PresidentJeanAuguste]

No one should be forgotten in history. Evil or not.

[@AliyahDqueen]

I don't what point your trying to make, but remembering history does not mean honoring a murder with a grand statue.

[@eliottmorst]

we must then admit that we do NOT have the right to exercise free expression of thought…….

[@chloewinfrey]

Where is Hitler? Put them in a museum no proud to expose them in our streets

[@haziq0007]

At least display it in a way that people can see his evil deed, like a bloody paint or pile of body. Because mostly, people put statues to respect a figure. Understand why people become angry. Hope it can be a lesson for next gen Belgians.

[@Karibbean]

Forgotten is different.. But no Evil should have a statue.

[@joseleonido3479]

I need to tell King Phillipe of Belgium they removed his great great grandfather’s statue

[@teegrowl5186]

Yea let him know they spit on it too

[@Mattipedersen]

He definitely knows, as he offered his "regrets", in regards to the colonial era, as a result.

[@Lucas79]

@@Mattipedersenyea that will bring back the 25 million Congolese and Burundaise back 🥴🥴

[@picanha694]

Leopold's kill streak must be huge

[@user-cb9dy1zv7q]

Belgium is not sorry for what this guy did. If they were really sorry.. Congo wouldnt be poor now. Why don't Belgium pay off Congo's debt? Belgium was made from the Congolese brutality. Its only fair to remedy what he did with fixing Congo. The Jews got paid for being butchered by Hitler , Germany had to pay for the Jew's slaughter.

[@isaacmt]

Real

[@wfpnknw32]

How is that still there.. god

[@EZ_Money101]

Because some of his people want it there.

[@haziq0007]

Mostly old 🧓🏻👵🏻👴🏻

[@SuperIronDan]

Do not erase the history, replace the statue with a monument to honor the victim of this genocide.

[@RichieCam]

If the current monarch expresses his deepest regret, why doesn't he and his country pay back? What was stolen from the democratic Republic of Congo?

[@trunkblast785]

They are putting this statue in a museum, to preserve?

[@shaquilleloyola9081]

This guy was more ruthless than Hitler

[@traubengott9783]

Why should he care about the africans!?? Do you think they would care about other people!?!😊

[@Umbriel92]

​@@traubengott9783 Wow you are sad why don't you feel what the Congolese felt maybe then you would understand and we have seen examples of other people be kind or supportive ever heard of the taino probably not they gave Europeans gold and other luxuries but we (or rather Copernicus) killed and enslaved them all

[@uwukakakaka]

@@traubengott9783 at least Africans not colonized other country and robbed money from them

[@alphasheep7116]

Worst than Churchill

[@ZumaGD1]

​@@uwukakakakaYou do know that African kings enslaved other tribes and sold them to the whole world right?

[@gojira4036]

Ah yes Leopald the Cruel.

[@juniorjimenez6381]

Leopold II a total criminal.

[@life_is_a_myth]

*Saint

[@jameskemp6439]

There is a pub named after him in Cambridgeshire. Time to change it. This man was beyknd evil. Thousands of Africans lost their hands if they did not reach the latex quota for the day.😢

[@Larrytalls]

Men of the Congo who work with him was the problem can trick me with history

[@Philip-dy3ww]

Did he do anything else that is good ?

[@xxd5doo5xx89]

I thought this was Kratos

[@ottovonbismarck4194]

They should have put a statue of king Albert the first

[@PlayfulPinoyGamer]

What the worse result of the Belgian colonization of Africa is the colonial mentality that they gave to them. Which these Africans were discouraged to be like a modern human. Because of the colonization division and jatred towards each tribes grew and grew after the decolonization. The fact that the Belgians just left this Africans to deal with themselves creating a power vacuum.

[@RBoo7]

You never see or learn this in school

[@hasspass8751]

This is like if Germany had a statue of Hitler

[@user-gs3xz1rt3n]

He was the king of Belgia and his descendants ruled in congo until 1960, i would be ashamed if i was living in this state that is built on blood of innocent people of Congo. And all they did is that they put his byst from the park in 2020. This is a joke.

[@donjeremias4240]

History repeats itself

[@rupertsmith5815]

In what way ??

[@shinigummyl1586]

in what way does this add to that

[@hasanahmad4584]

Most bustard man in the history.. May allah grant him Jahannam..

[@LeopoldLodewijkll]

Alah is mischien groot maar klein geschapen

[@lenzalafonso9508]

*King Leopold 2 of Belgium*

[@RichieCam]

I've just been reading some of the comments And nobody Has mentioned Paying back what was stolen from them

[@jojogonjalves4137]

Very less people know about him

[@raptorwww1386]

🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪

[@adesinaremilekun4582]

If is to be used to educate people the question is that what kind of teaching, is it the good side or the reverse, I do know that there are some people that are still worst than the king.

[@joelgoldsmith4747]

All Monarchs hold 'POWER' which expresses the true contents of their 'PSYCHE'.

[@hiek130]

He's very cruel

[@jameskemp6439]

Makes Henry VIII look like a saint.

[@multimandan]

He doesn't deserve to be celebrated.

[@rufst]

Imagine if blacks started demolishing statues of tippu tip in Zanzibar that would be cool

[@WanganTune3DXPluDeaf]

Hmm why removed king

[@Umbriel92]

Leopold II was a questionable ruler if you want more info search Congo free state

[@anthonyhornbuckle8231]

I hope he burn in hell for what he did

[@LeopoldLodewijkll]

I am in heaven with my fellow dictators

[@2010kingification]

The congo needs reparations its only fair but its not going to happen i pray that it does

[@jaaysinbarber2924]

❤️this

[@pramitpalit3895]

A devil incarnate.....a cruel ruler

[@yasef2366]

It’s been a long time …that dose not remove the Crime committed the Worlds worst Crime against humanity

[@Borderose]

This man was not worthy of royalty.

[@henripaulcouvez445]

"Le roi Popol, c'est une drôle de capenoule... " comme chantait ma grand-mère (née belge en 1892)...

[@dewelr121]

That man was evil

[@doffy2192]

Nein

[@heruuuuu]

Why tf he look like kratos

[@deathkitten7635]

I’m 99% sure nobody even knew who that was or cared before it became trendy to rip down statues. Glad it’s gone if it’s causing unrest.

[@hcassells66]

The people if Congo surely knew. Idiot

[@My_Lacrimosa]

I'm 99% sure they knew exactly what it was

[@chloewinfrey]

Congolese and most of African knew

[@haziq0007]

​@@My_Lacrimosa They knew it but had chosen to be a deaf and ignorant.

[@alsneed7941]

Shame

[@gracemoney4100]

We want broken Into pieces not removing it

[@gojira4036]

Deleting him from history is basically letting the Belgian government get out of Paying reparations

[@ayelads]

That guy was based

[@shogun6548]

🇧🇪🗿🇧🇪🗿

[@GuyIncognito-pm4cp]

He was molesting a 16 year old.

[@gemmedium1126]

Okay this is good, but where are the reparations

[@newguy8288]

Yeah! Mongolia should pay reparations to all of Euroasia and Asia mayor! Italy should pay up to most if not all of Europe too!

[@varangianguard4726]

If you want to spend your own taxes to Africa do that but whe already don't get enoff public service for out taxes

[@cambodianriverpig7613]

blax always begging for money.

[@cakeisyummy5755]

@@newguy8288 I'd like some Money.

[@cakeisyummy5755]

@@varangianguard4726 *enough

[@salah-eddinelamri7076]

Hirohito the butcher emperor, Léopold II the butcher king.

[@Rhyas9]

Don't just say you're sorry. Make good peoples' losses. Pay restitution.

[@yashodalimbu8595]

ask everyone to push everything

[@haziq0007]

Yup return all the London museum relics! All robbed, exploited and stolen! None of it belongs there..

[@felipedarosa6918]

Trying to erase history is not the best way to prevent it from repeating itself

[@theultimateartist4153]

Tell that to all the Congolese who lives he took away

[@joooo2599]

Removing a statue is not the same as erasing history. Everyone knows about Hitler but you don't see any statues of him lying around

[@jesusexposed1848]

🌁

[@helioslegigantosaure6939]

What a shame

[@PolishGod1234]

Why? Screw this guy

[@Umbriel92]

Search "Congo free state torture"

[@tedsonkabiru4349]

This should make you retrace your origin as a black person overseas and return home. That was where your ancestors wanted you to live and experience your life. And they were forced to move abroad. Which they never wanted to.

[@jamaal00013]

🎉

[@Black_Rebel]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@dingleberryridesagain3606]

A great man for the marinated chicken wings,much loved by all n sundry,,!! A Belgian to his fingertips, loved the chips \frites ,a tradition now keenly followed by all sophisticated Belgians

[@zulsah]

This women from congo

[@gollum7005]

Not good for PR anymore So now thrown under the bus

[@rogersilva9372]

Bye felicia

[@MaximStrav]

Just change the name under the statue to Kratos, draw a line across his head and be done with it.

[@GaionSputro]

Get deported from Nordic

[@Brahim0801]

The people of Belgium are good people, Leopold doesn't represent them. And even tho im all for bring proud of one's past, im pretty sure that people of Belgium got a lot of things to be proud of other than this one heartless man.

[@SenpaimustNotice]

Great man, sad

[@LeopoldLodewijkll]

Thanks

[@stinzstinz772]

Leopold not a king. He's killer.

[@user-lk7pv8lj8i]

Someday Belgia will full on the nee and baggage for mercy they will pay for their old king Leopold and the king will burn in hell forever

[@ingemarcaferma6835]

a beautiful nice one freedom to congo

[@doffy2192]

😐

[@kaizenomnibiz5383]

Turn it into an urinal

[@doffy2192]

No

[@shogun6548]

🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪

[@buster1474]

Needs too be put in the bin

[@LeopoldLodewijkll]

You mean congonese

[@Lisichkin_Topishe31]

HANDS OFF HISTORY!

[@shogun6548]

🇧🇪🗿🇧🇪🗿

[@nix6026]

"HANDS OFF HISTORY!" 🤓

[@Medium341]

Why are you glorifying such an evil man?

[@Lisichkin_Topishe31]

@@Medium341 Bro didn't got the joke 💀

[@ChillieWinnie]

What if there was a statue of Adolf Hitler in Germany, would you still say: "HANDS OFF HISTORY!"

[@mitlopz519]

Ah yes metal statue is gone finally justice

[@doffy2192]

😐

[@jakubzajac8585]

Finally! There are other left in Belgium, get rid off all of them

[@Mattipedersen]

I'm considering taking a vacation to Belgium, just so I can piss on all of the remaining statues of him ;)

[@Syndicalism_]

Mythical W Belgium

[@randalllakeworth3134]

That man was so horrible.he should be renamed in the history books ad king leopld the a hole

[@abrahamjackson6019]

The most evil man in the history of the world...

[@TheAllAmericanHoneyBadger]

Mao, Stalin and Hitler are all worse than Leopold.

[@axe863]

Justified

[@nafinmahmud6269]

kratos!!!