Man hammers BBC London HQ statue by disgraced sculptor Eric Gill

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Man Attacks Statue On BBC Broadcasting House
LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 12: A protester holds a mallet while attempting to damage a statue by sculptor Eric Gill on BBC Broadcasting House on January 12, 2022 in London, England. The statue, Prospero And Ariel, was sculpted in 1932 by Eric Gill, who revealed in diaries published in the late 1980s that he sexually abused two of his daughters. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Police were called to the BBC’s main headquarters yesterday after a man damaged one of its statues with a hammer.

‘The Prospero and Ariel’ statue, carved by Eric Gill, has been displayed since 1933, and has attracted criticism in recent years.

Gill’s personal diaries reveal that the artist not only sexually abuse of his daughters, but also had incestuous relationships with his sisters, and sexual acts with his dog. The revelations about the artist were originally published in the 1989 biography by Fiona MacCarthy.

Officers were called to the iconic building yesterday afternoon, with the campaigner being brought down four hours later.

BBC staff reported hearing the man shout “paedophile” as he struck the statue, which is connected to New Broadcasting House.

A spokesman for the Met Police told the BBC that the man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken into custody.