THERE are concerns public monuments could increasingly become the target of vandalism after several were attacked this week.

One statue in Glasgow was targeted for the second time in days, with two different slogans sprayed onto it

Yesterday the Glasgow Times reported how the King William of Orange statue, in Cathedral Square, was sprayed with an anti-police slogan following the Black Lives Matter protest in Glasgow Green on Sunday.

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It was one of a number of statues to be daubed with slogans in the city, including one in George Square and three in Kelvingrove Park.

The statues were all cleaned quickly by city council environmental teams but the King William statue, which depicts the former Monarch on horseback, was vandalised again sometime on late Monday or Tuesday.

This time it was painted with the letters ‘IRA’ on the plinth.

The council said this was an act of vandalism and was not about any peaceful protest.

There are concerns that the statue to Robert Peel could be targeted again this weekend, in a UK wide campaign on statues considered to celebrate historical figures linked with slavery, colonialism or racism.

On the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland website a statement condemns the vandalism the King William Statue and calls for protection for monuments.

It said: “The SNP Government in Edinburgh must ensure attacks on monuments in Glasgow’s George Square, Cathedral Square and Kelvingrove Park are not repeated. 

“Jim McHarg Grand Master stated anti-British attacks must not be tolerated and those responsible must be brought to account.”

There are concerns that public monuments could be seen as easy targets for people expressing anger over any issue and not related to the Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests.

While it was not graffitied the Donald Dewar statue in Buchanan Street was littered with stickers at the weekend. 

Glasgow City Council confirmed it received complaints about the vandalism at the King William statue and sent out a crew once again to remove it immediately. 

A spokesman said: “This was not about supporting BLM or any other peaceful protest. 

“It was vandalism and it is completely unacceptable.”

Glasgow Times: The Donald Dewar statue was not targeted The Donald Dewar statue was not targeted

On the earlier vandalism on statues including that of King William a council spokesman, said: “We cannot condone damage to public property and our community safety teams will link with police on how further damage can be avoided, including through the use of CCTV.”

The vandalism comes as  five Glasgow statues appear on a online map called ‘topple the racists’, which has appeared in recent days. 

It states: “We believe these statues and other memorials to slave-owners and colonialists need to be removed so that Britain can finally face the truth about its past – and how it shapes our present.”

Glasgow statues on the list include some of those already vandalised, such as Lord Roberts and Thomas Carlyle in Kelvingrove Park, as well as Robert Peel, the former Tory Prime Minister and founder of the modern day police, in George Square.

The list also includes statues to military figures John Moore and Colin Campbell, in George Square.

READ MORE: Glasgow streets linked to slave-trade revealed in map

It has been noted however there could be some confusing of Robert Peel with his father of the same name who actively campaigned for the continuation of slavery.

The website and map does not say it advocates members of the public  tearing down statues but says it wants to promote debate.

Glasgow City Council has already, before the current protests, engaged in an academic study of the city’s buildings, streets and monuments regarding its links with the slave trade, to look at how the city recognised this part of its history.

A spokesman added: “The whole city should have the opportunity to discuss and influence how we respond to that legacy – and the voices of those with lived experience must be heard.”