Street Artist Unveils Statue of Liberty Mural Emphasizing Critique of ICE Raids in the United States.

Unveiled just prior to the Fourth of July, Judith de Leeuw revealed a mural depicting the Statue of Liberty obscuring her eyes in shame, which generated a significant stir. This artwork, created in France for the URBX Festival in Roubaix, serves as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s recent immigration policies and widespread deportations. After seeing a news report about an immigrant being taken from his residence while his child looked on, the Dutch artist felt compelled to make a statement.

De Leeuw chose to portray the Statue of Liberty specifically because of the sense of freedom it symbolizes. With Lady Liberty shielding her eyes, she appears to be questioning whether that freedom remains attainable.

“I created this piece because my heart breaks when I observe the state of the world today,” she explained to HuffPost. “I’m profoundly concerned—not only about the delicate relationship between the EU and the U.S., but also about the cruelty inherent in present immigration policies. As an artist, I feel a moral responsibility to express myself when the world is suffering.”

Entitled The Statue of Liberty’s Silent Protest, it comes just a few months after a French politician gained media attention for insisting that the United States should return the Statue of Liberty. Reactions to De Leeuw’s mural were sharply polarized, with the comments section of her Instagram post turning into a battleground for conflicting views on President Trump’s immigration policies.

Despite the harsh critical comments from conservatives on her post, De Leeuw supports her artwork. “In a world that seems increasingly unjust, I view activism as not just a choice, but an obligation,” she stated to Hyperallergic.

This sense of obligation may carry repercussions, as De Leeuw mentioned to HuffPost that she’s received warnings from Instagram about the potential removal of her account. She also faces the possibility of losing a commission and recognizes that future travel to the U.S. may become more challenging now. Nonetheless, she wouldn’t alter anything.

“If that’s the cost of standing up for what I believe is right, then so be it.”

Dutch artist Judith de Leeuw ignited controversy with her mural of the Statue of Liberty concealing her face in shame.