A giant replica of the Statue of Liberty toppled in southern Brazil during a storm, and the footage quickly went viral across social media. The incident took place on December 15 in Guaíba, where the 78-foot statue was located at a Havan retail store’s car park.
Videos show the statue swaying before crashing down in the car park as winds of up to 55 mph hit the area. The statue, perched on a 36-foot pedestal, shattered upon impact, although the pedestal remained standing. Remarkably, no injuries were reported as cars can be seen driving away just before the statue fell.
The storm, which hit Rio Grande do Sul, caused widespread damage, with fallen trees, power outages, and hail reported across the state. In nearby Lajeado, heavy rains led to flooding. The statue, which had been on display since 2020, was quickly secured by Havan staff, and specialist teams worked to clear the debris.
Guaíba's mayor, Marcelo Maranata, confirmed that no one was injured and commended the rapid response from local authorities. Civil Defense teams worked with local teams to inspect the site for further damage.
The footage of the statue's fall has become a viral sensation online, with many commenting on the surreal nature of the giant statue collapsing in a car park. This incident adds to a growing trend of viral videos featuring statues, with the Statue of Liberty replica’s fall making a particularly striking impact on social media.
