Leading German Magazine Publishes Cover Showing Trump Beheading Statue of Liberty
Caution: Graphic
Even though it’s an illustration it’s so graphic we have decided to not show it in full above.
A leading and well-respected German investigative magazine’s latest cover features an image of President Donald Trump holding a bloodied machete in his left hand, and the bleeding head of the Statue of Liberty in his right hand. The caption: “America First,” Trump’s latest motto.
Der neue SPIEGEL. Ab jetzt zum Download und ab morgen im Laden erhältlich: https://t.co/qv6ihBqCQm pic.twitter.com/xtfI9YL2yW
— DER SPIEGEL (@DerSPIEGEL) February 3, 2017
Der Spiegel, the popular German magazine, also has an animated version on its website that shows the blood actually dripping from the Statue of Liberty’s head. And, if that wasn’t enough, this, which is brilliant:
Das neue Heft ist da!https://t.co/sVpC6v6nlW pic.twitter.com/2AJsebvR1V
— DER SPIEGEL (@DerSPIEGEL) February 3, 2017
BuzzFeed News reports: “Edel Rodriguez, the Cuban-born American artist who designed the cover, told BuzzFeed News that he wanted the message to be direct: “Trump is beheading the American democracy.â€
Just in case it wasn’t clear enough.
If the image looks slightly familiar, it should. Buzzfeed’s Tasneem Nashrulla reports Rodriguez is the same artist who created these images for TIME magazine:
New cover: Inside Donald Trump’s meltdown https://t.co/6jk7ggjTQM via @ZekeJMiller + @aaltman82 + @Philip_Elliott pic.twitter.com/aPOj9Slz9Z
— TIMEPolitics (@TIMEPolitics) August 11, 2016
This week’s @TIME cover https://t.co/JQZZZuIWMu pic.twitter.com/8cWoBJoBPs
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 13, 2016
The image has quickly been making its way around social media. Here’s what some folks are saying:
@edelstudio @Xzyliac @DerSPIEGEL hands too big.
— Doctor 2017 Nano! (@SleepinEyes) February 3, 2017
Der Spiegel goes full Charlie Hebdo. pic.twitter.com/M6IscLf2fl
— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) February 3, 2017
@edelstudio @DerSPIEGEL It’s brilliant…shocking and sad, but brilliant. Will you be selling prints?
— Betsy Muse (@BetsyMuse) February 3, 2017
@edelstudio @DerSPIEGEL infantile tweet storm coming in 3.. 2…1..
— Kaleb’s Auntie (@_AngelaNash) February 3, 2017
Hard to look at? Yes, but not one of us can afford to look away right now. @DerSPIEGEL cover by @edelstudio. https://t.co/JbEYDEVFcI pic.twitter.com/yQruZnG20K
— Jen Bekman (@jenbee) February 3, 2017
A German newspaper, depicting Trump beheading Liberty, in the fashion he constantly invokes ISIS beheadings, beside his anti-Semitic mantra.
— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) February 3, 2017
Two covers, one theme–New Yorker and Der Spiegel. New Yorker slightly more subtle… pic.twitter.com/gfb2YcmhDJ
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) February 3, 2017
Der Spiegel wins this round pic.twitter.com/mqk9BbCNqY
— raphael brion (@raphael_brion) February 3, 2017
UPDATE:
Rodriguez just gave an interview to The Washington Post:
Edel Rodriguez came to the United States from Cuba as a political refugee in 1980. Like many immigrants, he was angered by President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning entry to the United States for travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees from around the world.
“I was 9 years old when I came here, so I remember it well, and I remember the feelings and how little kids feel when they are leaving their country,†Rodriguez said. “I remember all that, and so it bothers me a lot that little children are being kept from coming to this country.â€
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“It’s a beheading of democracy, a beheading of a sacred symbol,†Rodriguez said, noting that the Statue of Liberty represents the United States’ history of welcoming immigrants. “And clearly, lately, what’s associated with beheadings is ISIS, so there’s a comparison†between the Islamic State and Trump. “Both sides are extremists, so I’m just making a comparison between them.â€
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