Black Boy Lane poster installed behind new La Rose Lane sign

Days after a new road sign was defaced in north London, a huge sign featuring its original name was screwed to the wall behind.

Black Boy Lane in Tottenham was renamed La Rose Lane by Haringey Council last week, citing concerns about its racial connotations.

Just 24 hours later, black paint was splashed over the new sign and, days later, the poster appeared.

It is not known who put it up and the council has since removed it.

The council launched a consultation into the name change following the events after the death of George Floyd in the US in 2020.

It said many residents were concerned about “the impact its continued use has on black people in Haringey”, but admitted “a significant number of residents of the street” objected to the idea.

It was renamed La Rose Lane after the black poet, publisher and activist, John La Rose.

In 1975, he helped to set up the Black Parents Movement after a black schoolboy was assaulted by police in the borough.

He also founded New Beacon Books in Finsbury Park, which has been described as the first Caribbean publishing house, bookshop and international book service in the UK.

Leader of Haringey Council Peray Ahmet previously told the BBC: “We’re commemorating someone who has a huge legacy in our borough.

“To have a road named Black Boy Lane in this day and age seems archaic.”

But campaign group Save Our Statues has said it was a “futile gesture”.

“This move is representative of the current impulse to hunt out racism and offence where there is none as a performative display of virtuousness,” founder Robert Poll said.

Ms Ahmet has since said she was “sad and disappointed” when the new road sign was vandalised with black paint.

“We removed the unauthorised sign the day it was put up and will not tolerate mindless vandalism after one of the signs was defaced,” she said.

“Now is the time to move forward and come together to honour the legacy of John La Rose and the many other black residents who have made such a huge contribution in the borough.”

Ms Ahmet added: “I fully understand that this is a decision that has generated passionate responses and our Corporate Committee took those full range of views into consideration when deciding to change the name of the road.”

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