The Metropolitan Police announced that the vandalism involving portraits of the Windrush generation is not classified as a hate crime, following the arrest of an individual linked to the incident.

On Thursday, several artworks from the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, located in Windrush Square in Brixton, south London, were vandalized.

A 24-year-old suspect was apprehended on Saturday on charges of vandalism and is currently in police custody.

Friends of Windrush Square condemned the act, describing it as “an attack on public art” and suggesting it stemmed from “racial animus.”

On Sunday, police officials stated, “We do not consider this incident to be a hate crime, and we want to assure anyone with concerns that an arrest has been made.”

Furthermore, the Met acknowledged the distress this vandalism may have caused within the community, adding that officers had reached out to the exhibition organizers.

This art installation showcases 20 portraits of individuals who immigrated to the UK from the Caribbean between the late 1940s and 1970s, accompanied by personal narratives detailing their experiences.

According to Friends of Windrush Square, the vandalism has inflicted “significant distress” on local residents, artists, volunteers, and project collaborators, many of whom have direct ties to the Windrush legacy.