[1] Partly due to Leopold II's colonial regime, the monument is the subject of ongoing controversy and has been vandalised several times.

[9] The monument has an important architectural part that roughly consists of a voluminous upright column, with two horizontal bases on the left and right.

[9] At the bottom left a larger than life sculptural group, also in bronze, depicting Gratitude of the Congolese to Leopold II for freeing them from slavery among the Arabs.

[1] Leopold was the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State; a private project was undertaken on his behalf.

[10] At the Berlin Conference of 1884–85, the colonial nations of Europe authorised his claim by committing the Congo Free State to improve the lives of the native inhabitants.

[10] Reports of deaths and abuse led to a major international scandal in the early 20th century, and Leopold was forced by the Belgian government to relinquish control of the colony to the civil administration in 1908.

[2][3][4][5] On 9 June 2020, Ostend mayor Bart Tommelein said that the city council "takes the fight against racism very seriously" but "replacing or removing statues will not happen".