Anti-Communist Vandalism of Karl Marx Monument Sparks Debate About His Role In History

The grave of Karl Marx, located in Highgate Cemetery in London, has been smashed with a hammer and covered in anti-communist graffiti.

Marx died on March 14, 1883. He was a sociologist, historian, and economist, and his ideas and thinking have become fundamentals of modern economics and sociology. But, one of the things he is most known for is writing The Communist Manifesto, which some consider a mere book of philosophy - and others consider as an inspiration to genocide and communism.

Highgate Cemetery shared photos of the defaced memorial, and said the following about the vandalism:

"Vandals back at Marx Memorial, Highgate Cemetery. Red paint this time, plus the marble tablet smashed up. Senseless. Stupid. Ignorant. Whatever you think about Marx's legacy, this is not the way to make the point."

On top of the red spray paint, someone took a hammer and chipped away at his marble gravestone, which has remained intact since he was buried in 1883.

Chief Executive of the Friends of Highgate Cemetery Trust Ian Dungavell has called this "particularly selfish act" and said it was "an appalling thing to do" and a "particularly inarticulate form of political comment."

He continued, saying opinions of the late philosopher don't take away his being a human being:

"Regardless of what anyone thinks about Marx's philosophy I just think it is an appalling thing to do. On a human level this is a grave of his wife, his own grave and other members of his family."

The front of his memorial now reads "Memorial to Bolshevik Holocaust" "1917 - 1953" and "66,000,000 dead"

One of the sides reads "Ideology of starving."

Twitter // @HighgateCemetary

Twitter // @HighgateCemetary

Meanwhile, the back reads "Architect of genocide, terror and oppression, mass murder."

Twitter // @HighgateCemetary

And the other side reads "Doctrine of hate."

Twitter // @HighgateCemetary

This isn't the first time someone has vandalized his grave. There have been multiple splashes of paint in the past, although there hasn't been any damage to his actual tombstone until now. His grave, while still legible, has been smashed and scratched with what is assumed to be a hammer.

Dungavell says the memorial has been forever altered, and doing this wasn't the best way to make a political statement:

"If it is someone who is rabidly anti-Marxist they could do a lot better trying to change people's opinion rather than just smashing up the monument. That is not going to win any sympathy to the anti-Marxist cause."The "deliberate and sustained attack" on the monument was "very upsetting", he said. "It will never be the same again, and will bear those battle scars for the future."

Twitter // @HighgateCemetary

Now, people are getting into a heated debate on the role Marx played in history and how much damage and destruction his ideas and books had.

Some are reminding people that he died decades before the Bolshevik Party was founded, in 1917, and therefore blaming him for the Bolshevik Holocaust doesn't make sense:

Some do say his ideas was an inspiration and a guide for the Bolshevik Holocaust and Revolution, but that doesn't mean he is to blame for the entire event.

And those people make the same arguments that the man was a philosopher was not the root cause of any genocide or starvation:

But others disagree, and insist that while he wasn't directly responsible for any genocide or mass murders, his writings and the ideas within them were:

One user @gametheorymike called him "the founder of evil philosophy" and said he doesn't deserve a memorial commemorating and honoring him.

Multiple people are insisting he should be given an unmarked grave instead.

There is great debate about his books themselves. Some are arguing that he doesn't propose communism, and instead he predicted the downfalls of capitalism:

While others believe this couldn't be further from the truth, and insist the he does advocate and promote communism, especially when it comes to the infamous The Communist Manifesto:

Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848, and it was the most popular pamphlet of the entire socialist movement.

Some agree he was a horrible man with horrible ideas, but point out that his ideas have made massive contributions to society, on subjects such as sociology, philosophy, and economics:

And others are shaming those who vandalized the grave:

But not everyone is on the same page. In fact, some people are cheering on those who defaced his memorial:

Someone else pointed out the fact that regardless of personal opinions, this vandalism and heated debate prove his ideas are still powerful and relevant in modern times:

As of now, no suspects have been identified and no arrests have been made.