Several people across the globe have continued to praise and adore Melania Trump. However, her critics and detractors have, also, remained apparent in recent months.
Earlier in July, the First Lady's wooden statue in her home country, Slovenia, met vandals, who set it to fire. But, a new and "more indestructible" monument replaced the original version on Tuesday, according to BBC.
The bronze statue is a replica of the original. It features a plaque that entails a dedication to the original now-burnt sculpture. It says that the replacement serves as the "eternal memory" of the First Lady's monument, "which stood at this location."
German-based American artist Brad Downey commissioned both of the statues and hired Ales Zupevc, a local folk artist, to create the two sculptures. Speaking to Reuters, he revealed that he had filed a police report after learning about the incident.
The same publication said that Downey is hoping to interview the vandals for a documentary film. He is preparing the material ahead of his exhibition, which will open in September. However, the investigation has since remained open.
The commissioner has, also, since exhibited the now-burnt statue of Melania Trump in Slovenia. He added that it has become a "visual representation" of the "political tensions" across the United States.
People recalled that the original version of Melania Trump's statue received several criticisms from the public. One local even, reportedly, compared it to "Smurfette."
The commissioner and the artist first unveiled the statue in July 2019. It seemingly depicted the First Lady, particularly her appearance on the day of Donald Trump's inauguration.
The monument, which is made out of wood, features a "powder-blue dress." Reports said that it depicts the Ralph Lauren Collection piece that Melania wore in 2017. However, the similarities ended there, and no one saw the resemblance between the statue and Trump.
On July 4, which happens to be the United States' Independence Day, vandals set the statue of Melania Trump on fire. The news broke a day after, and authorities immediately contacted the commissioner, Brad Downey.
When the media asked for the East Wing's comment, they did not, reportedly, responded. Donald Trump, however, "pledged" to take a "hard line" on vandals, specifically those who would destroy U.S. historical monuments.
The U.S. President's assertions came amid the political activism against "racial injustice" that has continued to occur across the country. Reports, later on, recalled a similar incident that happened to the statue of Donald Trump in Slovenia. A year after a local artist unveiled the sculpture, vandals, also, set it to fire.
