Edinburgh Council has replaced the controversial plaque at the base of the Melville Monument, nearly seven months after it was removed by the descendants of Henry Dundas.
The brass panel at the base of the statue in St Andrew Square has long proved contentious. It accuses the 1st Viscount Melville of being “instrumental in deferring the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.”
It goes on to say that as a “result of this delay, more than half a million enslaved Africans crossed the Atlantic.”
It was crafted by a committee comprising of city councillors, Scotland's first black professor, Sir Geoff Palmer, and another academic. However, the panel did not include any historians.
That led to Professor Sir Tom Devine, the former Sir William Fraser Chair of Scottish History at Edinburgh University, comparing the task force to a "kangaroo court."
READ MORE: Questions for council over slavery plaque on Dundas statue
It was taken away in the night by the Melville Monument Committee last September.
The group, which includes descendants of the politician, insisted they had acted lawfully, but the council said they had “stolen” the plate.
Cammy Day, the leader of the council said he was “glad that a replacement plaque has been installed this morning.”
He added: “Since the original plaque was stolen last September, I’ve been clear that we will not allow the actions of a minority to derail the important ongoing work to address the legacies of slavery and colonialism in our city.
“Following the refusal of the Melville Monument Committee to return the original plaque, we filed an official report with Police Scotland in October. This investigation is ongoing, and our legal team will continue to monitor the situation closely.
“We’ll also be seeking to recover the costs of this replacement plaque from the Melville Monument Committee.”
READ MORE: Controversial plaque on Edinburgh Dundas statue removed
Irene Mosota, the Chair of the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Implementation Group said the reattachment was a “really significant milestone for our city.”
She added: “It’s only through properly acknowledging and exploring our collective past that we can address the challenges of the present and putting ourselves in a strong position to shape a positive future.”
The Melville Monument Committee has been approached for comment.
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