British actor Alan Cummings, who starred in the “X-Men” series, announced on Friday that he was returning the award he was given in 2009, denouncing, in particular, the “toxicity of the British Empire”, AFP reported.

The actor’s position complements the broad reflections on the colonial past of the British Empire and its crimes, which extend into many spheres.

In a post on Instagram on Friday, he recalled that he received the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his acting work, as well as for the fight for LGBT rights in the United States, where he lives. most of the time and where it took until 2015 for same-sex marriage to be legalized across the country.

But the “death of Queen Elizabeth II” in September and “the debate surrounding the role of the monarchy and, in particular, how the British Empire took advantage of indigenous peoples (and their deaths) around the world opened my eyes,” he wrote. actor.

“Times and laws have changed in the US,” and the benefits his award “brought to the LGBTQ+ cause in 2009” are now “less than my fears of being associated with the toxicity of empire,” he emphasized.

He said he returned the award, explained the reasons and once again expressed his “great gratitude” for receiving it, wishing him a happy 58th birthday.

At the end of last year, the Welsh actor Michael Sheen returned the same award, protesting that the title of Prince of Wales was given to the heir to the British crown, Prince William, after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1969, John Lennon, a member of the Beatles, returned his OBE to protest Britain’s involvement in the Nigerian civil war and American support for the Vietnam War.