[UPDATE BELOW] The 100-pound bust of the (in)famous NSA whistleblower was erected near the park's Prison Ship Martyrs Monument early Monday morning. The artists who pulled it off told ANIMAL:
"Fort Greene’s Prison Ship Martyrs Monument is a memorial to American
POWs who lost their lives during the Revolutionary War. We have updated
this monument to highlight those who sacrifice their safety in the fight
against modern-day tyrannies. It would be a dishonor to those
memorialized here to not laud those who protect the ideals they fought
for, as Edward Snowden has by bringing the NSA’s 4th-Amendment-violating
surveillance programs to light. All too often, figures who strive to
uphold these ideals have been cast as criminals rather than in bronze.
"Our goal is to bring a renewed vitality to the space and prompt even more visitors to ponder the sacrifices made for their freedoms. We hope this inspires them to reflect upon the responsibility we all bear to ensure our liberties exist long into the future."
Authorities quickly covered the bust with a tarp, thus shielding parents from all sorts of invasive questions from their curious offspring, like "What is the NSA?" and "Isn't it ironic that the bust of a man known for blowing the lid off of the country's surveillance program is now being physically hidden with a tarp?"
Most visitors to the park, it seems, have no problem with Snowden's likeness watching over them as they walk their dogs.
"By covering it, it attracts more attention to the issue of censorship" park-goer Justine Williams told us."I thought it was a fantastic stunt and act of resistance. It so beautifully slipped into the aesthetic of the other things in the park."
As one passerby earnestly asked: "When's the unveiling?"
The NYC Parks Department declined to comment on the guerilla bust.
The #Snowden statue story was a bust. Parks staff and the NYPD had already removed the giant head of Ed that was making news this morning. By 1pm, all that was left for reporters to cover was an empty pedestal and scattered, departing detectives.
Cr : Gothamist
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