DAKAR (Reuters) – The island of Gorée in Senegal, which for centuries served as a relief for the transatlantic slave trade, repositioned the call of its position in Europe in reaction to the death of George Floyd and the global movement he inspired.
It will now be called the Huguy Place of Freedom and Dignity, decided by the city council.
The square surrounded by palm trees of Europe, in the shadow of an old French fort at the northern end of the island, is named after him in 1998 in popularity of European investment for the renovation of the World Heritage site.
But some residents thought the name was nevertheless inappropriate.
“The so-called Plaza de Europa was, in a way, friendship between the peoples,” said Doudou Dia, chairman of the island’s tourism committee.
“But we also told ourselves … that in some other sense, he celebrates the pursuer,” he said. “What happened to George Floyd was the end of it.”
Located off the coast of Dakar, the Senegalese capital, Gorée has been a transit point for centuries for African slaves sent to the Americas. UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in 1978.
Today, this is a favorite tourist belt with its cobblestone streets and historic houses. It is the best known for his Slos Angels home, which several American presidents, Nelson Mandelos angeles and Pope John Paul II have visited.
Alassane Niang, a gorée chief, said that the verdict, which comes at a time when governments are considering turning the street call and tearing down the public monuments applicable to racism, had been long delayed.
“For me, this would also be the place of Africans. It would be a huge majority living here black,” he said. “Senegalese, Africans, deserve where.”
Reporting through Aaron Ross; Editing via Angus MacSwan
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