Detectives began investigating hate crimes after a blue plaque in memory of David Oluval, a British-Nigerian who died in 1969 after police harassment, was stolen within hours of being found on Leeds Bridge.
A plaque commemoration event attended by the Leeds City Council leader took place between 5pm and 7pm on Monday and was taken until 10pm. The theft followed racist graffiti in the office of the Leeds Civic Trust – which installs blue tiles in the city – on Sunday night.
The location of the plaque was chosen because it is close to the place where Oluvale was last seen alive, pursued by Sergeant Kenneth Kitching and Inspector Jeffrey Elerker. His body was found two weeks later about a mile in the Eyre River, which flows under the bridge.
Kitching, who described Oluvale as “a wild animal, not a human being,” and Elerker were later convicted of assault by a jury in the first successful prosecution of British police officers for the death of a black man.
In a joint statement, the Remember Oluwale campaign campaign campaign and the Leeds Civic Trust described the theft as “shocking”.
They said: “These are cowardly actions by people who do not want to discuss their views in public.
“The successful unveiling of the plaque shows how far we have come as a city in the fight against racism. His theft shows how much more we have to do. “
Trust director Martin Hamilton said the plaque would be replaced if the original was not restored.
Police in West Yorkshire believe the plaque was stolen between 9:30 pm and 10:00 pm on Monday. The force called on anyone with any information about the theft to contact Leeds County CID.
Lead County Commander Damien Miller said: “It is truly appalling that someone will remove the plaque in memory of David Oluwell’s life, and we recognize the significant impact this act will have on everyone involved in memory of David alive and of the wider community.
“The moment clearly suggests that this is a deliberate act and we classify it as a hate crime.
“We take this incident very seriously and we have CID detectives in the Leeds area who are conducting extensive investigations to identify who is responsible and to find and restore the plaque.
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