| Bust of Haile Selassie | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Artist | Hilda Seligman |
| Completion date | 1957 |
| Location | Wimbledon, London |
A bust of theEthiopianemperorHaile Selassie formerly stood inCannizaro Park inWimbledon Common, London. A work of the sculptorHilda Seligman, it was destroyed in June 2020.
During the 1930s,Ethiopia came into conflict with theItalian dictatorBenito Mussolini, who sought to avenge his country for its losses during theFirst Italo-Ethiopian War. In 1935 Italyinvaded Ethiopia, starting theSecond Italo-Ethiopian War. As a result of the invasion, Haile Selassie was exiled to theUnited Kingdom.[1]
In 1936, while in exile, Selassie spent time at Seligman's family home. He returned to Ethiopia in 1941, and when Seligman's home was demolished in 1957, she installed the bust in Cannizaro Park.[2]
The bust was a popular attraction and pilgrimage site for followers of theRastafarian movement.
The bust was destroyed by a group of around 100 protestors on 30 June 2020, in what was believed to have been a reaction to the killing of the Ethiopian protest singerHachalu Hundessa inAddis Ababa the previous day.[3][4][5][6]
51°25′29″N0°13′53″W / 51.42459°N 0.23129°W /51.42459; -0.23129
