Windhoek - A large crane lifted a colonial-era statue of German official Curt von Francois in Namibian capital Windhoek on Wednesday, as a crowd that gathered nearby clapped and hooted in delight.
The 2.4m (7-foot, 9-inch) bronze statue of von Francois was unveiled in 1965 during the 75-year anniversary celebrations of Windhoek.
The controversial statue was seen as a symbol of colonial oppression in the southern African nation, and is the latest to be taken down as activists across the world mount campaigns for their removals.
Germany has a troubled past with Namibia. The country apologised in 2021 for its role in the massacre of Herero and Nama tribespeople in Namibia more than a century ago and officially described it as a genocide for the first time.
Rhodes Must Fall was a protest movement that began on March 9, 2015, originally directed against a statue at the University of Cape Town that commemorates Cecil Rhodes. The statue of the 19th century figure was unveiled in 1934.
The monument, which was taken down in front of cheering protesters, would be stored for "safe keeping", UCT's council said in 2015.