A man who was struck by a statue during a protest is in a critical condition.
Chris Green, 45, took part in a protest earlier this week against police brutality and the death of George Floyd.
He joined hundreds of others in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, on Wednesday to demand the removal of a Confederate statue due to its connections with slavery and racism.
The heads of four soldier statues surrounding the monument were cut off by protesters.
But the celebratory mood ended when one of the statues which was pulled down with a rope fell on top of Mr Green, causing him to lose consciousness.
His head was cut open and he was transported to hospital for treatment, where he remains.
The father-of-two is said to be in a stable condition and responding to neurological tests.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the local Black Lives Matter chapter, 757, to help cover Mr Green’s family’s medical expenses.
As of Friday evening, $36,450 has been raised.
According to his wife Tonieh, doctors were amazed that he pulled through because the statue was so ‘heavy’.
She told The Virginian-Pilot: “So he didn’t even see it coming, like, ‘Oh, let me move out of the way’.
“And then I heard it was hard for the ambulance to even get to because of the crowds.
“It was an accident. What his family needs is prayers, not people saying he knew the risk.”
Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander advised people to stay clear of the monument and stating that anyone who attempted to scale it would be removed for their own safety.
In a statement on Wednesday, he said: “Tonight, an individual was seriously injured in an attempt to remove a statue in Portsmouth.
“We are praying for his full recovery and hope that this incident will not be repeated in other localities. Again, in the interests of everyone’s safety, we strongly urge your co-operation in this matter.”
According to The Daily Press, the actions to behead the statues were down out of frustration at the City Council’s decision to put off moving the monument.
Several Confederacy statues have been pulled down across the US in the past 48 hours amid nationwide demonstrations against police brutality and racial inequalities.
One group in Saint Paul, Minnesota, ripped down a statue of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
The 10-foot bronze monument was pulled from its granite base by several dozen people outside the state Capitol, documented by news photographers and television camera operators.
A sign that reads “Columbus represents genocide” has been placed on the spray-painted foundation that once held the figure.
Mike Forcia, one member of the group, said: “It was the right thing to do and it was the right time to do it.”
Another statue of Columbus in Boston’s Atlantic Avenue in Massachusetts was beheaded this week. Police have been investigating this incident.
Since 46-year-old George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer in May, there have been huge protests in both the US and the United Kingdom.
Efforts to remove statues in both countries have also gained traction as a result.
Native American activists have long objected to honouring Columbus, saying that his expeditions to the Americas led to the colonisation and genocide of their ancestors.
