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| Melania Trump sculpture in Slovenia set on fire on US Independence Day | Melania Trump sculpture in Slovenia set on fire on US Independence Day |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A quirky wooden sculpture of US First Lady Melania Trump is reported to have been set on fire near her hometown in Slovenia, prompting its removal. | A quirky wooden sculpture of US First Lady Melania Trump is reported to have been set on fire near her hometown in Slovenia, prompting its removal. |
| Brad Downey, the American artist who commissioned the statue, said it was targeted on 4 July, Independence Day in the US. | Brad Downey, the American artist who commissioned the statue, said it was targeted on 4 July, Independence Day in the US. |
| The Berlin-based artist arranged for the charred statue to be removed the next day. | The Berlin-based artist arranged for the charred statue to be removed the next day. |
| Police told Reuters news agency they had launched an investigation. | Police told Reuters news agency they had launched an investigation. |
| The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. | The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. |
| The sculpture of Mrs Trump, which could be described as only bearing a crude likeness to the US first lady, was carved out of a tree trunk on the outskirts of Sevnica, her hometown in central Slovenia. | The sculpture of Mrs Trump, which could be described as only bearing a crude likeness to the US first lady, was carved out of a tree trunk on the outskirts of Sevnica, her hometown in central Slovenia. |
| The statue, which depicts Mrs Trump dressed in a blue coat similar to one she wore to her husband's inauguration and with a club-like hand gesturing to the sky, received mixed reviews when it was erected in July 2019. | The statue, which depicts Mrs Trump dressed in a blue coat similar to one she wore to her husband's inauguration and with a club-like hand gesturing to the sky, received mixed reviews when it was erected in July 2019. |
| Some residents branded the statue a "disgrace", complaining it looked more like the Smurfs character Smurfette than the first lady. | Some residents branded the statue a "disgrace", complaining it looked more like the Smurfs character Smurfette than the first lady. |
| Mr Downey told Reuters he wanted to understand who targeted the statue and why. | Mr Downey told Reuters he wanted to understand who targeted the statue and why. |
| He said he had hoped the statue would open a dialogue about the political situation in the US, including the fractious debate on immigration. | He said he had hoped the statue would open a dialogue about the political situation in the US, including the fractious debate on immigration. |
| Mrs Trump, a model who grew up in Slovenia when it was part of Yugoslavia, moved to the US in the 1990s. | |
| The statue in Slovenia was targeted at a time when monuments of US leaders with links to slavery are being re-evaluated as a result of national reflection prompted by anti-racism protests. | The statue in Slovenia was targeted at a time when monuments of US leaders with links to slavery are being re-evaluated as a result of national reflection prompted by anti-racism protests. |
| In recent speeches, including his Independence Day address, US President Donald Trump has taken a hardline against those who vandalise or tear down statues. | In recent speeches, including his Independence Day address, US President Donald Trump has taken a hardline against those who vandalise or tear down statues. |
| Since Mr Trump was elected US president in 2016, Sevnica has become a tourist magnet, as visitors search for an insight into Mrs Trump's early years | Since Mr Trump was elected US president in 2016, Sevnica has become a tourist magnet, as visitors search for an insight into Mrs Trump's early years |
| Residents have brought out ranges of Melania-branded merchandise, including slippers, cakes, and Trump-like burgers with fly-away cheese "hair". | Residents have brought out ranges of Melania-branded merchandise, including slippers, cakes, and Trump-like burgers with fly-away cheese "hair". |
| In August last year, a wooden statue of President Trump was constructed in Slovenia, east of the capital Ljubljana. Like the rendering of Mrs Trump, the statue of her husband divided opinion. | In August last year, a wooden statue of President Trump was constructed in Slovenia, east of the capital Ljubljana. Like the rendering of Mrs Trump, the statue of her husband divided opinion. |
| Standing nearly 8m (26ft) tall, the statue was burnt to the ground by unknown arsonists in January this year. | Standing nearly 8m (26ft) tall, the statue was burnt to the ground by unknown arsonists in January this year. |