A new mural in France shows the Statue of Liberty covering her eyes in a swipe at Trump
ROUBAIX, France — As statements go, it's a big one.
A towering mural in France of the Statue of Liberty covering her eyes is racking up millions of views online with its swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump's immigration and deportation policies.
Amsterdam-based street artist Judith de Leeuw described her giant work in the northern French town of Roubaix, which has a large immigrant community, as 'a quiet reminder of what freedom should be.'
She said 'freedom feels out of reach' for migrants and 'those pushed to the margins, silenced, or unseen.'
'I painted her covering her eyes because the weight of the world has become too heavy to witness. What was once a shining symbol of liberty now carries the sorrow of lost meaning,' de Leeuw wrote in a July 4 post on Facebook, when Americans were celebrating Independence Day.
Her depiction of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the French people in the late 1800s, has inspired some sharp criticism.
Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican lawmaker from Tennessee, wrote in an angry post on X that the work 'disgusts me.' He said he had an uncle who fought and died in France, where U.S. forces saw combat in both World War I and World War II.
In an interview with The Associated Press, de Leeuw was unapologetic.
'I'm not offended to be hated by the Donald Trump movement. I am not sorry. This is the right thing to do,' she said.
The town stood by the work, with its deputy mayor in charge of cultural affairs, Frédéric Lefebvre, telling broadcaster France 3 that 'it's a very strong and powerful political message.'
Since returning to the White House amid anti-immigration sentiment, Trump has launched an unprecedented campaign that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him. People from various countries have been deported to remote and unrelated places like South Sudan and the small African nation of Eswatini.
Immigration is one of Trump's strongest issues in public polling in the U.S.
The mural in Roubaix is part of an urban street culture festival backed by the town. Roubaix is one of the poorest towns in France. It was economically devastated by the collapse since the 1970s of its once-flourishing textile industry that used to attract migrant workers from elsewhere in Europe, north Africa and beyond.
___
Sylvain Plazy, The Associated Press
Associated Press journalists Ahmad Seir in Amsterdam and John Leicester in Paris contributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Trump says U.S. strikes framework trade deal with EU that puts blanket 15% tariff on bloc
The United States has struck a framework trade deal with Europe, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, averting a spiralling row between two allies who account for almost a third of global trade. The deal, which includes a 15 per cent tariff on EU goods entering the U.S. and significant EU purchases of U.S. energy and military equipment, may bring welcome clarity for EU companies. However, the baseline tariff of 15 per cent could be seen by many in Europe as a poor outcome compared to the initial European ambition of a zero-for-zero tariff deal, although it is better than the threatened 30 per cent rate. The announcement came after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Scotland for talks with Trump to push a hard-fought deal over the line. Trump, who is seeking to reorder the global economy and reduce decades-old U.S. trade deficits, has so far reeled in agreements with Britain, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, although his administration has failed to deliver on a promise of "90 deals in 90 days." Trump has periodically railed against the European Union, saying it was "formed to screw the United States" on trade. His main bugbear is the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 reached $235 billion US, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU points to the U.S. surplus in services, which it says partially redresses the balance.
Global News
2 hours ago
- Global News
Trump begins EU trade discussions at golf resort meeting in Scotland
President Donald Trump headed into high-stakes talks Sunday with a top European official demanding fairer trade with the 27-member European Union and threatening steep tariffs to achieve that while insisting the United States will not go below 15 per cent import taxes. Make-or-break talks could head off punishing U.S. tariffs and promised retaliation from Europe that could send shock waves through economies around the globe. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, seated next to Trump at his golf resort on the Scottish coast, called for a rebalancing of bilateral trade worth billions of dollars between the vital partners. Speaking to reporters before their private meeting, she and Trump put the chances of reaching an agreement at 50-50 as Friday's White House deadline neared. 'This is bigger than any other deal,' Trump said. He suggested they could cut a deal in just a short time. Story continues below advertisement Trump called von der Leyen 'highly respected' and meeting with her at his Turnberry golf course, where he played in the morning, was an honor. 'The main sticking point,' the Republican president said, was 'fairness.' View image in full screen President Donald Trump meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). For months, Trump has threatened most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners, including the EU. Trump has hinted that any deal with the EU would have to 'buy down' the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30 per cent. During the remarks before the media Sunday, he pointed to a recent U.S. agreement with Japan that set tariff rates for many goods at 15 per cent and suggested the EU could agree to something similar. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Asked if he would be willing to accept tariff rates lower than that, Trump said 'no.' Story continues below advertisement Their meeting came after Trump played golfed for the second straight day at his Turnberry course on the southwest coast of Scotland, this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr. The president's five-day visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. View image in full screen US President Donald Trump plays golf at his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, during his five-day private trip to the country. Picture date: Sunday July 27, 2025. (PA Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire). A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday. Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting 'Trump! Trump!' as he played nearby. On Tuesday, Trump will be in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, where his family has another golf course and is opening a third next month. The president and his sons plan to help cut the ribbon on the new course. Joining von der Leyen were Maros Sefcovic, the EU's chief trade negotiator; Björn Seibert, the head of von der Leyen's Cabinet; Sabine Weyand, the commission's directorate-general for trade, and Tomas Baert, head of the trade and agriculture at the EU's delegation to the U.S. Story continues below advertisement 1:06 Trump visits Scotland to open new golf resort, sparking mixed local response The U.S. and EU seemed close to a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened the 30 per cent tariff rate. The deadline for the Trump administration to begin imposing tariffs has shifted in recent weeks but is now firm, the administration insists. 'No extensions, no more grace periods. Aug. 1, the tariffs are set, they'll go into place, Customs will start collecting the money and off we go,' U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told 'Fox News Sunday.' He added, however, that even after that 'people can still talk to President Trump. I mean, he's always willing to listen.' Lutnick said the EU 'needs to make a deal and wants to make a deal and they are flying to Scotland to make a deal with President Trump. The question is do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off of the 30 per cent tariffs that he set.' Story continues below advertisement View image in full screen President Donald Trump meets European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland Sunday, July 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin). Without an agreement, the EU says it is prepared to retaliate with tariffs on hundreds of American products, ranging from beef and auto parts to beer and Boeing airplanes. If Trump eventually makes good on his threat of tariffs against Europe, it could make everything from French cheese and Italian leather goods to German electronics and Spanish pharmaceuticals more expensive in the United States. The U.S. and Britain, meanwhile, announced a trade framework in May and a larger agreement last month during the Group of Seven meeting in Canada. Trump says that deal is concluded and that he and Starmer will discuss other matters, though the White House has suggested it still needs some polishing.
Edmonton Journal
2 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Canada's homebuilding industry feeling strain of U.S. tariffs on costs, supply chain
As a tariff storm blew in from south of the border earlier this year, many industries in Canada, including the home building sector, feared the unknown ahead of them. Article content With stakeholders already keenly aware of the need to rapidly scale up housing supply and improve Canada's housing affordability gap, blanket tariffs and more targeted material-specific levies meant additional unwelcome obstacles to overcome. Article content Article content That included a potential need to slow down the pace of construction as supply chains shifted and key construction parts became more expensive. Article content 'It's difficult to pinpoint what exactly is the cost impact, but we certainly can say that there is an impact in terms of business confidence and … having materials when they need them in a timely manner.' Article content About six months after U.S. President Donald Trump's return to the White House, many in the home construction sector say unpredictability persists around the cost and timing of obtaining the materials they need. Article content For Geranium, that's meant having to pivot on the fly when it comes to the supply chains it's long relied on. Article content Shindruk said the firm is now increasingly sourcing materials made in Canada, such as brick and stone, and doubling down on products typically imported from other countries besides the U.S. That includes steel, which it sources from countries including South Korea, Portugal and China — allowing it to avoid surtaxes on American steel in response to Trump's tariffs. Article content Article content But she said some materials simply can't be replicated in domestic or other international markets. For instance, a component in the layered glass windows used by Geranium continues to be sourced from the U.S. due to patent issues. The company has essentially decided to eat the extra costs. Article content Article content 'It's not like switching on a switch and all of a sudden those materials that used to be sourced from the U.S, which are significant, can now be produced in Canada,' she said. Article content 'Where that's not realistic, then items are continuing to be sourced from the U.S. and (we're) paying the tariff.' Article content Among products hit hardest by the trade war, Canadian Home Builders' Association CEO Kevin Lee highlighted appliances, interior doors and carpeting. Article content Article content In some cases, he said builders have looked for substitutions to their typical input materials.
