Highgate sees emergency rally in defence of Marx's grave after second attack
Participants at today's rally in Highgate cemetery
A SECOND attack on the family grave of Karl Marx in London sparked outrage today as more than 100 rallied at his monument in Highgate Cemetery.
The latest attack on Saturday saw the words “Doctrine of Hate” and “Architect of Genocide” daubed in red paint on the monument.
On February 4 the marble plaque on the tombstone was damaged by an assailant who battered it with a hammer.
Scores of people held a vigil at the graveside, organised by Daymer, a Turkish and Kurdish community centre in north London, to pledge their determination to protect the grave — a Grade I listed monument.
There were also representatives from the Young Communist League and from Marx Memorial Library chairman Alex Gordon on behalf of the Marx Grave Trust that owns the monument.
Mr Gordon told the Morning Star: “There were about 150 people present, not only from the Kurdish community but also others who came to pay their respects at the desecration of the Marx family grave. There were people from Chinese, Indian and other communities there.”
The speaker from Daymer Arif Bektas expressed the anger of his community at the desecration and pledged to devise a system of security to prevent further attacks on the monument.
Daoud Hamdani spoke on behalf of the Young Communist League.
Mr Gordon said: “He expressed the complete anger of the Young Communist League at the attack, but also the confidence of the YCL that we have to stamp out fascism for ever.”
The Marx grave and monument is visited every year by thousands of people.
Maxwell Blowfield, who works as a press officer with the British Museum, said he was “shocked” at the attack when he visited Highgate Cemetery on Saturday morning.
“[Marx’s tomb] is a highlight of the cemetery,” he said.
“It's a shame. The red paint will disappear, I assume, but to see that kind of level of damage and to see it happen twice, it’s not good.
“I am just surprised that somebody in 2019 feels they need to do something like that.”
Police said the attacks had been reported, but there have been no arrests.
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