REINSTATEMENT DEMAND Tamil protesters march through central London over removal of Thileepan memorial statue in Sri Lanka

Members of Britain’s Tamil community took to the streets of central London on Saturday, 3 October 2026, in protest against the removal of a memorial statue dedicated to Tamil activist and former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) member Thileepan in northern Sri Lanka. The demonstration, organised by the UK-based Movement for Self-Determination of Tamil Eelam (MSDTE), began near Downing Street before protesters marched along Whitehall towards the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Demonstrators demanded the reinstatement of the statue at its original location in Nallur, Jaffna, while calling on the British Government to address concerns over the treatment of Tamil communities and the right to commemorate historical figures. The protest followed the removal of the bronze statue by Sri Lankan police on 27 September, shortly after events marking the 39th anniversary of Thileepan’s death.  

Protesters gather outside Downing Street

The demonstration began at approximately 3pm outside the Prime Minister’s official residence, where members of the Tamil community gathered with banners, placards and flags. Protesters subsequently marched towards the Foreign Office, seeking to draw international attention to developments in Sri Lanka. Images from the demonstration showed participants carrying Tamil Eelam flags and banners criticising the Sri Lankan Government, including its handling of Tamil remembrance events. One banner accused the Sri Lankan authorities of racism, while others highlighted allegations of human rights violations against Tamil communities. Organisers said the demonstration was intended to raise awareness of Tamil rights and demand the restoration of the memorial.  

Memorial removed following anniversary commemorations

The controversy began when Sri Lankan police removed the statue from a memorial site in Nallur on 27 September. It had been unveiled on 15 September to coincide with the anniversary of the beginning of Thileepan’s hunger strike in 1987.

Thileepan, whose birth name was Rasaiah Parthipan, was a member of the LTTE, an armed Tamil separatist organisation which fought for an independent Tamil state during Sri Lanka’s civil war. He died on 26 September 1987 after a 12-day hunger strike during which he pressed political demands concerning the Tamil population. His death remains a significant event for sections of the Tamil community, particularly among those who commemorate the Sri Lankan conflict and campaign for Tamil self-determination.

The removal of the statue sparked demonstrations in Jaffna and other areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka, with protesters demanding that it be returned.

Sri Lankan authorities defend removal

The Sri Lankan Government has defended the removal of the statue as an enforcement measure linked to the LTTE’s prohibited status. Sri Lankan police have also launched an investigation under the country’s Prevention of Terrorism Act into the erection of the statue. The issue has intensified disagreements over commemoration, political expression and the legacy of Sri Lanka’s civil war.

The LTTE remains a proscribed terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom. The British High Commission in Colombo reiterated that position following

Calls for British Government to take notice

The London protest formed part of a wider response among Tamil communities following the statue’s removal. Organisers called for the memorial to be reinstated and urged the British Government to take notice of developments in Sri Lanka. The protest also highlighted longstanding demands for accountability, justice and the protection of Tamil cultural and commemorative rights. The demonstration ended near the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, bringing the dispute over a memorial in northern Sri Lanka to the centre of the British capital.