Supporters of the brutal October 7 massacre by Hamas displayed a statue of a “fearless girl” dressed in pro-Palestinian costumes on Wednesday night, sparking a backlash from passersby.
The New York City-born activist, who identified herself only as Fatima, hung a brown keffiyeh around the statue's neck to protest the Biden administration's support for Israel's military action in the Gaza Strip, the Post said. told.
She also attached a Palestinian flag to the statue that reads “Freedom for Palestine” as a symbol of women's empowerment, despite the fact that there is little equality in Gaza.
“This is not the right place for something like this,” one pedestrian told Fatima, who is in her 20s.
Some angry passersby snatched scarves and flags from a popular Wall Street tourist spot across from the New York Stock Exchange, then returned them to the activists.
A tourist asked a pro-Palestinian girl to have her photo taken with a faked “Fearless Girl'' in 2017 to “promote conversations about the importance of gender diversity in corporate leadership.'' asked that the symbol be removed.
Fatima defended her use of the statue to spread her message, saying other protesters were using it to support movements such as the #MeToo movement.
The activist, who came to the United States with her family from Ramallah, a Palestinian territory in the West Bank, also told the Post that she did not blame Hamas for the cross-border terrorist attacks that killed nearly 1,200 Israelis.
She said the sacrifices of Israeli civilians are an inevitable part of Palestinian resistance to occupation.
When asked about the motivation for the exhibit, he said it was to raise awareness for the pro-Palestinian rally scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., on January 13th.
Fatima said hundreds of people took photos of the decorated statue in the evening and “95% of the responses were positive.”
“Fearless Girl” was released in 2017 by artist Kristen Visbal. The 50.4-inch bronze statue, depicting a young girl in a dress and high-tops with her hands defiantly on her hips, was originally placed across from the famous “Charging Bull” installation. was. Located in Bowling Green.
In 2018, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered “Fearless Girl” to be moved to its current location after large crowds flocked to the street to take photos.
Boston-based asset management firm State Street Global Advisors sponsored the Fearless Girl statue.
The company later sued Visbal, accusing the artist of selling replicas of the statue for as much as $250,000 each.
The newspaper has contacted Mr. Visbal and Mr. State Street for comment.
Local authorities in Manhattan have been exploring ways to get the city to take ownership of the statue. It was originally intended to be a temporary installation, but it has proven to be increasingly popular among tourists.
