Giant Edward Snowden Sculpture Appears on War Monument in Brooklyn Park

Starting in June of 2013, Edward Snowden, an American computer professional leaked classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) to the mainstream media. Being a former system administrator for the Central Intelligence Agency, this was a very controversial act in his part. Ever since, he has been living in an undisclosed location in Russia and feels very secure in Moscow.

Although it has been quite a couple of years since the big scandal, Edward Snowden remains a relevant subject in America as the government hates him but apparently, Brooklyn loves him.

On April 6th 2015, city workers in Brooklyn, NY were sent to remove a large bronze bust of Edward Snowden after it was placed in a war memorial in Brooklyn park the night before. The statue looked like this:

Apparently, three artists installed the 4 foot, 100 pound sculpture before dawn, attaching the sculpture to the stone monument with adhesive. The bust was reported to be thousands of dollars to make, which was why the artists were really upset when on the afternoon of April 6th, the city workers removed the statue permanently. 

In response to the removal of the Edward Snowden statue, however, another group of artists from Brooklyn returned the day after and projected a hologram of Snowden atop the statue where the original bust was placed.

The artists responded to officials saying, "Our feeling is that while the State may remove any material artifacts that speak in defiance against incumbent authoritarianism, the acts of resistance remain in the public consciousness. And it is in sharing that act of defiance that hope resides."

I just hope that Snowden's actions live to open the closed eyes of many in this country and that the gentrification of Brooklyn breeds and attracts people who are willing to see, acknowledge and speak up on controversial issues, such as this one.