It is difficult to recall to mind a figure of American politics who is as disliked, asrelived and aspolarising as the current President Donald Trump. He is also the man who is most frequently the butt of jokes, and memes; what he says and does providing fodder for standups, late-show hosts and entertainers of all sorts. He is also the guy whose star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame gets vandalised. Repeatedly.
Donald Trump’s star was unveiled in 2007. In October 2016, a man took a pickaxe and sledgehammer to the star and was thereafter arrested. The man’s alleged reason for the vandalism was to sell the star to raise money for the many women who have been subjected to sexual harassment by Donald Trump. The man later identified as James Otis said that this was an act of “civil disobedience” and that he was proud of what he did. He was later sentenced to a fine of $4,400 and three years probation.
In July 2016, street artist Plastic Jesus created this fence around the star, complete with barbed wire and flags. This was before Trump became POTUS; a bid to protest against Trump’s promise of the Mexican border wall.
In July 2018, Trump’s star has once again been vandalised with a pickaxe and a sledgehammer. The video of the man as he hacked into the side walk to deface the star has since gone viral.
The man who vandalised the star previously has apparently offered to bail out the man responsible for this latest act of vandalism.
Many Tweeple found it hugely funny that two men dressed like Russian soldiers “stood guard” at the site of the vandalised star. This ostensible ‘protection’ was actually just another form of protest against the alleged collusion between Trump and Russian agencies to manipulate the American presidential elections and the overt bonhomie between Trump and Vladimir Putin. Full marks for a hilarious tongue in cheek comment there!
This one refers to the recent little occurrence when Donald strode out in front of the Queen of England with scant regard for protocol or simple good manners.
It was something waiting to happen – when Trump supporters came up against his detractors; both sides curious to see what happened at the site of the vandalism. Now I am obviously no fan of the Trump, regular readers cannot help but know this. But, I also have no support for people who destroy property, break the law for what they presume to be a just cause or use any type of violence as a means of protest. No matter that I may have similar political leanings as Trump’s detractors, but I have zero sympathy for those who indulged in vandalism and the brawling. They are not acts of civil disobedience if they involve violence and destruction of property. They are merely ill-advised and indefensible criminal acts that concede the moral high ground to the very people one is trying to protest against.
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