[New York=AP/Newsis] On the 9th (local time), a full moon is majestically hanging over the Statue of Liberty in New York, USA. 2020.03.10.
[Seoul=Newsis] Jang Gah-rin, Intern Reporter = A French politician has argued that the Statue of Liberty should be returned because the United States no longer represents the values of freedom.
According to the French daily Le Monde on the 16th (local time), Raphaël Glucksmann, who leads the centrist-left party “Place publique,” recently stated at a party event, “Return the Statue of Liberty.”
He declared, “We will tell the Americans who have sided with tyrants and dismissed researchers demanding scientific freedom to ‘return the Statue of Liberty.'”
Amidst cheers from the crowd, he quipped, “We gave it as a gift, but it seems you dislike it. Here at home (France), the Statue of Liberty would have no problems.”
Glucksmann sharply criticized U.S. President Trump, who is aggressively working to withdraw support from the U.S. He has also strongly opposed President Trump’s reduction of support for universities and research institutions.
He continued, “The second thing I want to say to America is that if you wish to dismiss all those who made your country the strongest through top researchers, a sense of freedom and innovation, and research, we welcome them.”
He went on to criticize France’s far-right faction, calling them “Trump and Elon Musk’s fan club.”
The Statue of Liberty, designed by Frenchman Auguste Bartholdi, was gifted by France to the United States on October 28, 1886, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence.
The Statue of Liberty, holding a torch and the Declaration of Independence, is a symbol of freedom that was the first sight for immigrants entering America through New York Harbor.