Why Do People Attack Military Statues? A National Survey in New Zealand

Bibliographic Data

ID11103189
AuthorsNick Wilson (0000-0001-5250-9894, University of Otago, corresponding author), John Horrocks (0000-0001-5857-7636, Independent Researcher, Lower Hutt, New Zealand), John E Horrocks (Hutt Hospital), Glenys Thomson (0000-0002-3566-9199, University of Otago), George Thomson (0000-0003-1979-4907, University of Otago)
Year2025
Volume51
Issue4
Pages1149-1164
Publication date2025-10-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArmed Forces & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0095-327X • E-ISSN: 1556-0848
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0095327x241247811
OpenAlexW4395462960
LanguageEN
References cited16

Military statues are being attacked and removed in multiple countries, but there is little analytic work on the associated reasons. Therefore, this research aimed to conduct a nationwide survey of outdoor military statues in a case study country (New Zealand) and identify reasons for attacks. Of the 118 statues identified, 11 (9%) of these had been physically attacked. A key risk factor for statue attack was it being linked to the colonial-era New Zealand Wars versus any other specific war (75% vs 8%, p = .003). This finding fitted with other evidence from attacks on statues of named New Zealanders (e.g. politicians) and on attacks of other types of monuments to these particular wars. It is also consistent with past and persisting injustices experienced by the Indigenous Māori population. In conclusion, some of the attacks on the military statues in this country appear to reflect social injustices and harm from colonialism

Geography · Political science · Gun Ownership and Violence Research · History

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