Police in Prague are investigating the defacement of a bust of Winston Churchill in Malá Strana district.

The statue, located on Thunovská Street near the British Embassy, was vandalized with the words “STOP GENOCIDE” painted in red across its base.

According to Prague Police spokesperson Kristýna Zelinková, officers were alerted to the damage at the beginning of July. Security footage from the area captured the suspect in the act—a tall, middle-aged man with long hair, wearing beige shorts, a grey T-shirt, and sandals.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and the case is being handled as a suspected crime of damage to property, punishable by up to three years in prison.

The Churchill bust, part of Prague’s heritage-protected zone, is considered a public cultural asset. “If anyone recognizes the man from the footage, we ask them to contact the emergency line at 158,” added Zelinková.

This isn’t the first time Churchill’s image has been targeted in Prague. In 2019, vandals defaced the statue of the British wartime leader in Winston Churchill Square in Prague 3.

That time, the words “racist” and “Black Lives Matter” were spray-painted onto the monument amid global protests following the killing of George Floyd in the United States.

Churchill’s legacy remains controversial for some due to his colonial policies and wartime decisions, which critics argue contributed to mass suffering in places like India and Kenya. In contrast, others in Czechia continue to view him as a key figure in the fight against fascism during World War II.

The damaged statue in Malá Strana was originally installed to commemorate Churchill’s role as a symbol of resistance against totalitarian regimes—an image that still resonates deeply with many Czechs, particularly those who recall the Nazi occupation and the Soviet era.

The police have not yet released the full video from the site but confirm it clearly identifies the man responsible.

They are appealing to the public for assistance in locating him.

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