Washington:
A life-size bronze statue located in Sevenica, Slovenia, has gone missing following Melania Trump’s tenure as First Lady. The statue was unveiled in 2020 during Donald Trump’s first term as President.
The BBC reported that the statue, which had been anchored at the ankles, was taken by an unknown person on Tuesday. Authorities are currently looking into the incident and trying to locate those responsible for the theft.
Police spokeswoman Allenka Drenik Rangas indicated that they are continuing to evaluate the situation and the investigation is ongoing, according to the New York Times.
Some locals speculate that the statue may have been destroyed, while others think it might have been melted down for profit.
Resident Igor Pavkovic commented on the incident, mentioning that Melania Trump is rarely in the public eye. “Even if she’s doing something, it’s so odd that I don’t want to dwell on it,” he said.
Franja Klanjuk, a local bakery owner, expressed that she couldn’t imagine anyone not being proud of the statue, which represents the First Lady of the United States.
This bronze statue was created as a replacement for a wooden figure that was set ablaze in 2020, originally made by artist Alex Maxiz Peb. The wooden version depicted Melania in a pale blue outfit akin to what she wore during Trump’s inauguration in 2017.
Sculptor Brad Downey shared his disappointment over the statue’s theft in remarks to the New York Post. He noted that the removal might be associated with Donald Trump’s new campaign for election, although he couldn’t be certain.
