In Slovenia, police authorities are actively investigating the sudden disappearance of a bronze statue bearing the likeness of former U.S. First Lady Melania Trump. The statue was abruptly severed and removed from its location, which was where she was born.
According to reliable sources, the life-sized tribute was first unveiled in 2020, amidst the first term of office of President Donald Trump. This statue is situated near Sevnica, central Slovenia, the birthplace of Melania Knavs in 1970. It was introduced as a replacement for a wooden statue that had been deliberately set ablaze earlier in the same year.
Police spokeswoman Alenka Drenik Rangus confirmed on Friday that they were informed about the theft on Tuesday. The law enforcement is currently pursuing leads to apprehend the responsible parties.
The evidence suggests that the bronze likeness was precisely severed at the ankles and subsequently removed. This is the second act of vandalism against the statue, following the torching of the original wooden figure in July 2020. The original statue, carved from the trunk of a linden tree, depicted the first lady in a pale blue dress, reminiscent of the one she wore at President Trump’s 2017 inauguration. The bronze replica, however, bore no overt similarity to the first lady.
As investigations continue, this incident raises important questions about the security and respect for public art, particularly those representing notable figures.
