FOI - Black Lives Matter [Feb 2023]

Can you please provide (redacted as needed) internal communications / memos / notices / emails / video conference calls, webinars or transcripts of these, etc from, but not limited to:

• Staff networks, working groups, intranet notices, senior members staff and management, internal recommendations on behalf of senior staff or the organization as a whole, reports, letters, petitions and external communications to senior staff (from DCMS for example), and in particular from Sadiq Khan Regarding:

• Racism / Black Lives Matter and the killing of George Floyd / Decolonising / The removal or reappraisal of items/statues/street names/buildings and so on / Colonialism, imperialism, empire, institutional racism, white supremacy, unconscious bias, In particular I would like to know:

• Collections or materials, historical figures, that have been highlighted as problematic by the institutions or staff within it.

• A list of those that may be reviewed or removed

• And what steps have so far been recommended to or by staff to tackle these issues

• Any of the above range of material which pertains to moving or removing references to or statues of Winston Churchill

*Later clarified that the GLA should undertake searches of email accounts belonging to “senior staff” regarding Black Lives Matter and statues of historic figures sent and received since 25 May 2020 (up to 28 January 2021).

Response

Our searches have therefore focussed on BLM specifically in the context of the removal of statues and cultural artefacts on the accounts of our Corporate Management Team.

Please find attached the information we hold within the scope of your request.