Croydon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A mural and bench honoring Elianne Andam, installed outside Croydon’s Whitgift Centre on the anniversary of her death, have been taken down.
According to sources, this is done to protect them from potential harm while road construction is underway.
Near the location where the 15-year-old was brutally murdered a year prior, the tributes were erected last September.
At the time, Rt Rev Dr Rosemarie Mallett, the Bishop of Croydon, commented that this was an appropriate remembrance of “a beautiful soul taken too soon.”
Images of the location surfaced on social media today, showing that the bench and mural are no longer there and that some of the pavement has been dug up.
More than eight months after Croydon Mayor Jason Perry halted the pedestrian subway connecting East Croydon with Whitgift Centre, work has just started on Wellesley Road to create a long-promised ground-level pedestrian crossing on the six-lane urban freeway.
Inside Croydon has been reassured by sources close to the Whitgift Centre that the removal of the Elianne Andam bench and mural was solely done to prevent any harm from occurring while the crossing was being constructed.
The roadwork might not be completed this side of Christmas, as Mayor Jason Perry stated that it could take up to six months.
Teenage Hassan Sentamu was given a life sentence in prison in March for killing Elianne Andam.
How might the removal impact the community’s remembrance of Elianne?
The mural and bench have served as a crucial, visible space for family, friends, and community members to pay tribute, reflect, and collectively mourn Elianne’s life. Its absence may leave many feeling they lack a physical place to grieve and remember, particularly those who found comfort in visiting the site regularly.
Since its installation, the memorial has been a point of unity for the community, especially during vigils and anniversaries. Its removal may disrupt ongoing efforts to heal, draw attention to knife crime, and keep Elianne’s memory in daily view.
The mural held symbolic value in the fight against knife violence, serving as a constant reminder of the risks faced by young people in Croydon.