Anybody who lives in Ashbourne will be familiar with the imagery this petition refers to; a racist cartoonish depiction of a black man's head hanging over St John's Street. This kind of disgusting racist imagery has NO place in 2020 and should have been removed many many years ago. It is harmful and instils a dangerously cavalier attitude towards this kind of caricature-style portrayal of black people that served to help keep them oppressed for hundreds of years. It is NOT an important part of Ashbourne's history and identity, it is a disgusting and shameful fixture that many of us are deeply opposed to. It needs to be removed.

Following the tragic and unlawful murder of George Floyd and countless other black people to police brutality, and the protests resulting from it across the world, we in Ashbourne can do our bit to fight back against this kind of vile racism by starting at home, on St John's Street. This is only a first step to fixing the ingrained racism of our own country, but how can we support racial justice while passing underneath this monstrosity every day and doing nothing about it?

I ask you to sign this petition and also email the councillors of Ashbourne Town Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council yourselves; tell them that you demand its removal. Ashbourne does not need to be stuck in the dark ages, this one singular act is the least we can do to alter racist attitudes.