Viral video: 79-foot-tall Statue of Liberty replica falls during severe storm

ON 15 December, a 79-foot-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty collapsed during a severe storm in Guaiba, Brazil. The incident was caught on camera, and videos showing the statue tilting and falling have gone viral on social media. One viral video crossed 5 million views.

The replica stood in the parking area of a Havan megastore in Guaiba. It is a part of the Rio Grande do Sul metropolitan region.

While the 24-metre statue fell, its 11-metre concrete base remained intact. Debris removal began within hours, and the Havan store continued normal operations without disruption.

Havan, a major Brazilian retail chain, is known for installing large replicas of the Statue of Liberty outside many of its stores. This statue was installed in 2020. Ever since, it has become a local landmark.

According to reports, strong winds of around 80 to 90 km/h caused the structure to lose its balance and topple over. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and nearby vehicles were not damaged.

After the collapse, Havan staff and people nearby acted quickly to secure the area. Vehicles were moved away in time.

Guaiba Mayor Marcelo Maranata has praised the fast response by Havan employees and the local Civil Defence team. According to him, their actions helped prevent injuries during dangerous weather conditions.

Havan has said that all its Statue of Liberty replicas across Brazil meet technical and safety standards, and have proper engineering approvals. The company has launched an internal investigation to understand why the structure failed.

This is the second such incident involving a Havan statue. There was a similar collapse during a cyclone in Capao da Canoa in 2021.

Social media reaction

Social media users reacted to the fall.

“Sums up the world at the moment,” posted one of them while sharing a screenshot of the upside-down Statue of Liberty replica.

“Right next to a McDonald's adds to the American ethos to it all,” commented another.

“Statue of Liberty dropping in front of a McDonald’s. Iconic,” pointed out another user.

Another user showed broken pieces of the replica and quipped, “Selling souvenirs of fallen statue: $50.”

“I’m not sure if a Statue of Liberty replica in a parking lot next to a McDonald’s is the most American thing I’ve ever seen or treason. There is no middle ground,” came from another.

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